Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Indiana
'Cats Squeak Past Indiana, 2-1
4/12/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 12, 2003
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Kristen Amegin (W. Sacramento, Calif./Elk Grove) hit an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring Jessie Wellnitz (Waterloo, Iowa/East) as Northwestern snuck past host Indiana 2-1 Saturday afternoon at IU Softball Field. Brett Nakabayashi (Irvine, Calif./Irvine) was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate for the Wildcats.
With the win, NU improves to 23-11 overall and 5-5 in the Big Ten, while Indiana falls to 14-20 and 0-8.
Both teams wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, as each team tallied a single run in the first inning. Indiana, the visiting team, scored first. With one out, Heather Suca singled, stole second and scored on a two-out single to center by Abby Stark.
The Wildcats quickly answered back with a run of their own in the bottom of the first. Carri Leto (El Cajon, Calif./Valhalla) led off with a double, advanced to third on a single by Nakabayashi and scored on an RBI groundout by Erin Mobley (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill).
What seemed as though it might become a shootout, turned into a pitcher's dual between IU's Katie Witham and the 'Cats' Brie Brown (Nashville, Tenn./Harpeth Hall). Indiana managed three hits and three baserunners over the next four innings, while NU had three hits and four runners reach.
The Wildcats dodged a major bullet in the top of the sixth inning, as the Hoosiers loaded the bases with no one out. Suca reached on an error to lead off the inning, and advanced to second on a single by Stormy Hanson. NU replaced Brown with Lauren Schwendimann (Tustin, Calif./Foothill), who walked Stark to load the bases. But Schwendimann managed to work her way out of the jam, getting a strikeout, a forceout at the plate and another forceout at third.
Northwestern took advantage of the Hoosiers' inability to take the lead in the ensuing half-inning. Nakabayshi completed her perfect afternoon at the plate with a leadoff single to left. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mobley, but was thrown out at the plate on a single to center by Jamie Dotson (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill). Dotson advanced to second on the throw. Wellnitz came on to pinch run for Dotson and scored on Amegin's game-winning double to right-center.
Schwendimann retired Indiana in order in the top of the seventh, including two by strikeout to pick up her eighth win of the season against four losses.
Northwestern is back in action at noon Sunday when it travels to Purdue for a doubleheader.
