Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Notre Dame
Wildcats Sweep Doubleheader at Notre Dame
3/26/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 26, 2003
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - The 22nd-ranked Northwestern softball team improved to 4-0 on its week-long road trip and 17-6 on the season with a doubleheader sweep at Notre Dame Wednesday. The Wildcats took the first game 4-2, before using a late home run by freshman Jamie Dotson (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) to pull out the nightcap 3-2.
In Game One, pitcher Courtnay Foster (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro) celebrated her 19th birthday by picking up the victory to improve to 8-4 on the season. The freshman scattered four hits, while striking out seven in the complete-game win.
The Irish (10-11) took an early lead in the bottom of the first inning as Andrea Loman hit a ball up into a heavy wind blowing out to straight-away center field for a solo home run.
NU fought back in the top of the third inning, scoring three runs on only one hit. With runners on first and second, Erin Mobley (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) singled through the right side, scoring Ashley Crane (Sammamish, Wash./Eastlake). Brett Nakabayashi (Irvine, Calif./Irvine) advanced to third on the play, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Carri Leto (El Cajon, Calif./Valhalla). Mobley tacked on the Wildcats' third run of the inning when she scored on a wild pitch.
Notre Dame trimmed the deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out RBI single by Megan Ciolli. However, Northwestern got the run back in the ensuing half-inning as J.C. Kira (Honolulu, Hawaii/Saint Francis) walked with the bases loaded and one out. The Irish avoided further damage in the inning as they recorded the next two outs on a force out at the plate and a strikeout.
Notre Dame attempted to rally the game in the bottom of the seventh, putting runners on first and second with only one away. But Foster slammed the door on the Irish, inducing a pop-up and a fly out to end the game.
NU outhit the Irish 5-4, with each team stranding four baserunners. Five separate Wildcats had one hit apiece, including Lauren Schwendimann (Tustin, Calif./Foothill) who doubled.
In the nightcap, a solo home run by Dotson, the first of her career, in the top of the sixth inning was the game-winner. Schwendimann pitched a complete game, striking out nine while walking only one to up her record to 5-2.
Northwestern got on the scoreboard first in the top of the second. With two outs and no one on base, the Wildcats strung together three straight singles, capped by a basehit by Kira that scored Robyn Pettinger (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Fremd).
The Irish took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning as Andrea Loman singled to center, scoring a pair of runs.
NU knotted the score 2-2 with a single run in the fifth inning. Kira doubled off the fence in center field to lead off the inning, and then moved up to third on a sacrifice bunt by Nakabayashi. She then came in to score on a error by the shortstop on a ball hit by Mobley.
Dotson gave the Wildcats the lead in the top of the sixth on her longball, and Schwendimann made the lead hold up, fanning four batters over the final two innings.
Mobley, Pettinger, Crane and Kira led Northwestern with two hits apiece, as the NU outhit the Irish 9-5.
The Wildcats return to action at 3 p.m. Eastern time Friday when they open the Big Ten season at Michigan State.
