Northwestern University Athletics
Sweet Home Chicago
3/29/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 29, 2004
EVANSTON, Ill. -- It's about time for a homestand, literally. Not only has No. 25 Northwestern played its first 22 games away from Sharon J. Drysdale field, but in the last eight contests - five at neutral sites - the Wildcats have led off the game as visitors in the box score, too. That will all change at 3 p.m. Tuesday when NU kicks off its home schedule against Illinois-Chicago.
Northwestern returns home following an extended 10-day spring break road trip through Hawaii and California that saw sunshine, late nights and lots of rain. It also saw the Wildcats begin their biggest skid of the season, dropping their last four contests.
NU (14-8) hopes to get back on track at home against UIC (11-15), which is led at the plate by Amanda Rivera and her six home runs and 20 RBIs. The Flames opened the year with a seven-game losing streak but have heated up of late, winning six of their last eight.
History bodes well for the Wildcats, though. NU has won every home opener in head coach Kate Drohan's tenure, including a 5-4 decision over UIC last year.
Junior Erin Mobley (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) and freshman Garland Cooper (Mission Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) have become a good one-two punch in the heart of the Wildcat lineup. Mobley sets the table, leading the 'Cats with a .418 batting average, a .487 on-base percentage and seven stolen bases while Cooper paces NU with 15 RBIs, four home runs and a .607 slugging percentage.
Sophomore pitcher Courtnay Foster (Tuscon, Ariz./Sahuaro), whose 292 strikeouts last year were the second-highest single-season total in Wildcat history, has already fanned 110 batters in 14 appearances this year.
