Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Wisconsin
'Cats Can Badgers, 4-0
4/10/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 10, 2004
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Freshman hurler Eileen Canney threw her sixth shutout of the year Saturday, fanning 10 Wisconsin batters and scattering six hits in a 4-0 Northwestern win at Sharon J. Drysdale Field. The win earned the Wildcats (18-12, 2-4 Big Ten) a split in their series with the Badgers.
Canney's 10 strikeouts matches her season high, which she also achieved in wins over Temple and Jacksonville earlier this year. Her record now stands at a team-best 10-2.
Helping Canney's cause was the Wildcat offense, which pounded out 11 hits in the game. J.C. Kira, Garland Cooper, Kristen Amegin and Carri Leto all had multi-hit games for Northwestern.
"We were much more focused in this game than on Friday," Wildcat head coach Kate Drohan said. "The energy from the entire team was much better."
The 'Cats got on the board early with a run in the first inning. Singles by Sheila McCorkle and Cooper were followed by an Amegin RBI single, plating McCorkle.
With the Wildcats still ahead only 1-0 in the fifth, Wisconsin's Diana Consolmagno doubled with two outs. Samantha Polito then hit a dying quail to left field, but a hard-charging Katie Logan sprawled head first to make the catch and preserve the shutout.
"That catch by Katie was absolutely huge," Drohan said. "It changed the game. That is a play we have not been making and it gave us a boost of confidence."
Northwestern added another run in the sixth when a Leto single scored pinch-runner Lauren Olson. The 'Cats extended the lead even farther with a pair of runs in the seventh inning. Jamie Dotson hit an RBI single to score Amegin, and Eryn Manahan trotted home on a wild pitch by Badger reliever Megan Smith.
Eden Brock (9-7) started the game and took the loss for Wisconsin. The Badgers record now stands at 22-18, 2-4 in the Big Ten.
Northwestern returns to action tomorrow at noon in an Easter Sunday doubleheader with Minnesota at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.
