Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Illinois (Stanford Classic)
Illinois Comeback Beats Northwestern, 5-3
3/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 26, 2005
PALO ALTO, Calif. -- In a preview of the opening Big Ten weekend, No. 20 Northwestern faced Conference opponent Illinois in the finale of the Stanford Tournament Saturday. In the first of three consecutive meetings between the teams, it was Illinois winning the game that does not count in the League standings, 5-3.
With the loss, Northwestern finishes the event with a 3-2 record and is now 18-9 overall. Illinois improves to 2-3 on the weekend and 15-11 overall.
The Wildcats had a rough game in the field, committing four errors. Four of the Illini runs were unearned. Northwestern rapped out 11 hits in the game, but stranded nine runners.
Sophomore Megan Hinck (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Lake Zurich) started the game in the circle for the Wildcats, and recorded the first three outs on just four pitches. She allowed a pair of runs in the second inning -- one earned -- and was lifted after 1.1 innings of work for sophomore Eileen Canney (Paradise, Calif./Paradise).
The Wildcats got a run back in the bottom of the second. Junior Sheila McCorkle (Costa Mesa, Calif./Mater Dei) laid down a lead-off bunt single, and advanced to second on a Hinck sacrifice. McCorkle stole third and scored when Katie Logan (Tempe, Ariz./Corona del Sol) hit a two-out single over the bag at third.
Northwestern had some fielding troubles again in the third inning, but a great defensive play allowed the Wildcats to escape unscathed. Two errors helped load the bases for Illinois with one out. Canny coaxed a soft liner to freshman Darcy Sengewald (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East) at second, who caught it and flipped quickly to sophomore Garland Cooper (Mission Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) at first to double-up the runner.
The Wildcats had an opportunity to equalize in the third when juniors Jamie Dotson (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) and Kristen Amegin (Sacramento, Calif./Elk Grove) both hit two-out singles. Junior Ashley Crane (Sammamish, Wash./Eastlake) ran for Dotson, but McCorkle's long fly ball was tracked down in the right field gap for the third out.
In the bottom of the fifth, Cooper led off with a shot to the first baseman that bounced off her glove and into foul territory, allowing Cooper to advance to second on the error. Sophomore Elizabeth Piatt (Monticello, Ill./Monticello) ran for Cooper, and advanced to third on a single up the middle by Dotson, who moved to second on a throw home.
Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Sengewald led off with her second single of the game. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Katie Logan (Tempe, Ariz./Corona del Sol). Freshman Stephanie Churchwell (Lake Forest, Calif./El Toro) then gave the Wildcats a 3-2 lead with her fifth home run of the season, a blast directly over the center field wall.
In the top of the seventh, Canney got an out before a pair of runners reached base. Junior Courtnay Foster (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro) then entered the game but another error loaded the bases. Foster whiffed the next batter before Illinois' Jenna Hall hit a three-run single down the right-field line to give the Illini the lead back, 5-3. All three runs were unearned.
Dotson finished the game 3-for-4 while Churchwell and Sengewald both collected a pair of hits. Logan finished a perfect 1-for-1 with two sacrifices.
Canney (10-4) was charged with the loss while Mary Miller (10-5) picked up the win for Illinois.
The Wildcats are 1-1 against Big Ten teams outside of Conference play under Head Coach Kate Drohan. Last season Northwestern defeated Purdue, 5-2, in eight innings at the Speedline Tournament in Clearwater, Fla.
All-time, NU is 4-7 against Big Ten opponents outside of the League slate. Northwestern went on to record an 18-16 record against those teams in official Conference games.
Northwestern and Illinois open Big Ten play at Sharon J. Drysdale Field in Evanston at 3 p.m. Friday, April 1.
