Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Iowa
NU Drops Heartbreaker to Iowa, 2-1
5/9/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 9, 2003
IOWA CITY, Iowa - It looked like one more time, the Northwestern softball team might just pull another rabbit out of its hat. After already posting two extra-inning wins in the Big Ten Tournament, the Wildcats appeared primed to post the tying run in the bottom of the seventh against top-seeded Iowa, but a peculiar double play with one out and the bases loaded helped the Hawkeyes escape with a 2-1 win.
With the loss, NU (34-16 overall) will meet the winner of Friday evening's final game between Michigan and Michigan State at noon Saturday for the right to face off against Iowa (40-13) in the tournament championship game at 2:30 p.m.
Trailing by one run going into the bottom of the seventh, Northwestern rallied to load the bases. With one away, Erin Mobley (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) drew a walk off Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Lisa Birocci. Mobley advanced to second on a wild pitch and then moved up to third when Cindy Muran (Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park) lined a single off Birocci. Lauren Schwendimann (Tustin, Calif./Foothill) drew a walk, loading the bases for Robyn Pettinger (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Fremd).
Pettinger bounced a grounder down the third-base line that was fielded by Stacey May. May picked up the ball on the line, tagged Mobley heading home and then threw on to first to retire Pettinger, ending the game.
The tight contest was just another in what has become the most competitive Big Ten Tournament ever. The only game of the first seven held that has not been decided by one run was Northwestern's 8-6 12-inning win over Michigan earlier in the day. The loss snapped NU's winning streak at eight, and ended a string of six straight wins over ranked opponents in the last six games.
NU dodged a major bullet in the top of the second inning, as Iowa loaded the bases with only one out. However, Wildcat starter Brie Brown (Nashville, Tenn./Harpeth Hall) recorded outs on consecutive comebackers to put an end to the Hawkeyes' rally.
The Wildcats stranded two more Iowa baserunners in the top of the third. Kristin Johnson gave the Hawkeyes their third straight leadoff batter on base by drawing a walk. She moved to second on a bunt single by Katie Boney, and both runners moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt by Stacy May. Schwendimann came on to replace Brown and got Northwestern out of another jam. She got a pop-up and a groundout to Sheila McCorkle (Costa Mesa, Calif./Mater Dei) at second base to end the threat.
The 'Cats finally got into the hit column and nearly took the lead with a two-out rally in the bottom half of the third. With two away, Mobley tied the NU single-season record with her 13th double of the year. Muran followed with a single to left, but Mobley was forced to slam on the brakes after rounding third as Iowa left fielder Lindsey Bashor fired a strike to the plate. Schwendimann then hit a slow roller to third, but was nipped on a close play.
NU finally cashed in with the first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Pettinger started the frame with a double off the wall in left field. Jamie Dotson (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) followed by laying down a sacrifice bunt that was fielded by Lisa Birocci, who had just entered the game for Arnold. Birocci made a perfect throw to first but second baseman Stephanie Park dropped the ball, allowing Pettinger to score from second.
Northwesten had a chance to build on the lead, but could not convert. The 'Cats loaded the bases on a single by McCorkle and a walk to Jessie Wellnitz (Waterloo, Iowa/East), but Dotson was thrown out at plate attempting to score on a wild pitch and Brett Nakabayashi (Irvine, Calif./Irvine) struck out looking.
Iowa took the lead in the top half of the fifth inning. With two away, Pettinger couldn't handle a hard-hit line-drive by Lindsey Bashor. Northwestern then turned to Courtnay Foster (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro), who had been dominant throughout the tournament. After starting Jessica Bashor with two balls, Foster's eye-high delivery was deposited over the fence in left field, giving Iowa a 2-1 lead. The home run snapped Foster's streak of not allowing an earned run at 69.2 innings.
NU got a runner to second base with two away in the bottom of the fifth, but couldn't convert.
Muran led the Wildcats with three hits, while McCorkle added two. Northwestern outhit Iowa 7-6, with both teams stranding 10 baserunners. Birocci improved to 25-8 with the win, while Foster fell to 18-9 with the loss.
