Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Iowa
Northwestern Drops Big Ten Opener to Iowa, 7-2
4/2/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 2, 2004
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- In its first conference game since dropping the Big Ten Tournament Championship to Iowa last year, Northwestern could not turn the table on the Hawkeyes, losing a 7-2 decision Friday night at Bob Pearl Field in Iowa City, Iowa.
The Wildcats (15-9, 0-1) jumped out to an early lead in the ballgame, but it was Iowa who struck for seven scores in the final three innings to run away with the win in the Big Ten Conference opener for both schools.
Courtnay Foster (7-7), who came into the game with a team-high 116 strikeouts, pitched shutout ball through three innings. She became uncharacteristically wild in the fourth, though, surrending three walks which helped fuel a three-run Hawkeye inning and give Iowa the lead for good.
Northwestern put two early runs on the board thanks to a hit parade of a different sort. Sandwiched around an Erin Mobley walk and an Eryn Manahan RBI single, Carri Leto, Garland Cooper and Jamie Dotson were all nailed by Ali Arnold pitches in the first inning.
The Wildcats could not make the bruises count in the latter stages of the game. After taking the lead, the Hawkeyes (19-15, 1-0) scored two runs in both the sixth and seventh frames off Foster and NU reliever Eileen Canney to put the game out of reach.
"We had our opportunities in this game but we could not make the big pitch or get the big hit when it really mattered," Wildcat head coach Kate Drohan said. NU left eight runners on base in the game, six in the first three innings.
Northwestern returns to action tomorrow at noon in Iowa City for the series finale with the Hawkeyes.
