Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Iowa
Iowa Defeats Wildcats 2-0 For Big Ten Title
5/10/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 10, 2003
IOWA CITY, Iowa - After playing 52 innings and five games over a three-day span, the Northwestern softball team may have finally run out of gas. The Wildcats' Cinderella run to the Big Ten Tournament title fell just a little short in the end, falling 2-0 to host Iowa Saturday afternoon at Pearl Field. It was NU's first championship game appearance since 1982.
The top-seeded Hawkeyes completed their Big Ten sweep after also taking the regular season title. It was Iowa's second Big Ten Tournament win in school history. With the loss NU falls to 35-17 overall, while 23rd-ranked Iowa improves to 41-13.
Coming off an emotional eight-inning 6-3 come-from-behind victory over Michigan State, the Wildcats were physically and mentally spent. Playing an Iowa team that was competing in just its third game of the tournament, Northwestern couldn't quite finish the job.
"I can't describe how much heart they played with," Northwestern head coach Kate Drohan said of her team. "They never quit. Every time that I thought they were going to lose it, they just kept battling back. I'm really proud of them.
"Iowa came out and put the pressure on us. They played a great game and deserved to win."
The Hawkeyes got on the scoreboard before the Wildcats even knew what hit them. After NU went down in order in the top of the first, Kristin Johnson led off the Hawkeyes' half of the first with a single to short. Katie Boney followed with a double down the left field line. Brett Nakabayashi (Irvine, Calif./Irvine) mishandled the ball, allowing Johnson to come around and score all the way from first.
NU starter Lauren Schwendimann (Tustin, Calif./Foothill) did a nice job of preventing any further damage, as Iowa had runners at second and third with no one out and one run in. But Schwendimann sandwiched a pair of strikeouts around a pop-up to second.
Northwestern had an outstanding chance to tie the game in the top of the fourth. Erin Mobley (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) drew a one-out walk and moved up to second on a basehit by Cindy Muran (Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park). Schwendimann followed with a hit off the base of the fence in left-center, but Mobley initially held up at second to make sure the ball fell in. Mobley advanced to third, but overran the base and was tagged out by third baseman Stacy May. Iowa starter Lisa Birocci got out of the inning by inducing a flyout to center by Robyn Pettinger (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Fremd).
Sloppy play in the field all game long came back to haunt the Wildcats in the bottom of the sixth. Following a leadoff walk, Laura Chipman's bunt was fielded by Muran, but no one covered first base, giving Iowa two baserunners with no one out. Stephanie Park followed with another bunt, but Schwendimann threw the ball away attempting to get the forceout at first. Pinch runner Emily Gerlick came around to score on the play, giving the Hawkeyes the 2-0 lead. The 'Cats had four errors in the contest.
NU got a baserunner in the bottom of the seventh, but was unable to push any runs across.
Mobley, who earned all-tournament team honors along with Muran and Courtnay Foster (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro) led the Wildcats with two hits. Schwendimann took the loss despite allowing no earned runs. She allowed seven hits, struck out two and walked one.
Northwestern will learn its postseason fate at 9 p.m. Sunday night when the NCAA Tournament field is announced on ESPNEWS.
