Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Michigan
Cardiac 'Cats Do It Again, Beat Michigan 8-6
5/9/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 9, 2003
IOWA CITY, Iowa - Anyone who has attended a Northwestern softball game at the Big Ten Tournament this weekend can't complain that they aren't getting their money's worth. After posting an 18-inning 1-0 win over Michigan State Thursday, the Wildcats worked overtime again Friday. Cindy Muran (Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park) hit a two-run double in the top of the 12th inning as NU advanced to the semifinals with an 8-6 win over No. 14 Michigan.
With the victory, the 'Cats improve to 34-15 overall and will face the winner of the game between top-seeded Iowa and fourth-seeded Illinois Friday night. Michigan falls to 39-13 with the loss. It was Northwestern sixth straight game against ranked opponents, all games the 'Cats have won. The victory stretched the Wildcats' winning streak to eight games.
NU jumped out to a 3-0 lead Thursday night before the game was suspended due to rain and lightning. The 'Cats got three runs in the top of the first off Michigan starter Marissa Young as Muran recorded an RBI double and Robyn Pettinger (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Fremd) followed two batters later with a two-run double of her own. The game was halted one batter into the bottom of the first.
When play resumed Friday morning, Michigan got a single tally in their half of the first before the Wildcats got the run back in the top of the second off reliever Nicole Motycka to go ahead 4-1.
The Wolverines then got to NU starter Brie Brown (Nashville, Tenn./Harpeth Hall) for three runs in the bottom of the second to tie the game 4-4. Michigan recorded three hits and took advantage of a Wildcat error to even the score.
The 'Cats regained the lead with one run in the top of the fourth. Young reentered the game in the circle and was greeted rudely with one away as Carri Leto (El Cajon, Calif./Valhalla) tripled to right-center. Brett Nakabayashi (Irvine, Calif./Irvine) followed next with an RBI single up the middle to put Northwestern up 5-4.
Lauren Schwendimann (Tustin, Calif./Foothill), who relieved Brown in the circle in the bottom of the second, helped her own cause with a solo home run in the top of the fifth to stretch the 'Cats' lead to 6-4.
It appeared as though NU might be able to get the job done in regulation, but a two-out rally in the bottom of the sixth by Michigan pushed the game in extra frames. After the Wildcats left the bases loaded in the top half, Schwendimann hit No. 9 batter Courtney Betley with two outs and then served up a game-tying home run to Tiffany Haas.
Courtnay Foster (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro), who pitched all 18 innings of Thursday's marathon with Michigan State, replaced Schwendimann for the seventh inning. After allowing a pair of runners to reach base, Foster got out of trouble as she got Motycka to strike out. The ball got away from catcher J.C. Kira (Honolulu, Hawaii/Saint Francis), but she was able to retrieve the ball at the backstop and throw on to first in time to barely retire Motycka.
The Wildcats had runners at second and third with two away in the top of the eighth and just missed out on taking the lead. Pettinger's slow roller in front of the pitcher's circle was hauled in by Motycka, who nipped Pettinger at first base.
Both pitchers then took over, as Motycka and Foster combined to put down 17 of the next 18 batters in order. NU got a pair of two-out baserunners in the top of the 11th, but Motycka got Kira to ground out to first.
After Foster set down Michigan in order in the bottom of the 11th, Northwestern got their game-winning rally going in the 12th. After Foster grounded out to short in just her second at-bat of the game and the season, Leto doubled down the right field line. Leto moved up to third on a sacrifice bunt before Erin Mobley (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) was intentionally walked. Muran then followed with the game-winning hit, scoring Nakabayashi and Mobley.
Foster allowed a lead-off single in the bottom of the 12th, but got the next three Wolverines in order to secure the win and improve to 18-8 on the season. She struck out 11 and allowed just three hits and one walk. With six more scoreless inning of relief, Foster increased her string of not allowing an earned run to 69.2 innings.
Nakabayashi, Leto and Muran led Northwestern with three hits apiece, as NU outhit Michigan 15-10. Schwendimann and Pettinger added two hits apiece. Melinda Moulden led the Wolverines with four hits in five at-bats, while Haas added three hits and three runs scored.
