Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Illinois State (Worth Invitational)
Illinois State Shocks Northwestern, 2-1
3/4/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 4, 2005
FULLERTON, Calif. -- With junior Courtnay Foster (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro) carrying a no-hitter into the bottom of the seventh inning, Illinois State scored twice to defeat No. 25/23 Northwestern, 2-1, Friday afternoon at the Worth Invitational.
The Redbirds (8-3) loaded the bases on two walks and dink single to third before Lauren Bierworth got Illinois State's first legitimate hit of the game -- a double to left center that scored two runs and ended the contest.
Foster (5-3) allowed five walks along with the two seventh-inning hits. She struck out seven to push her past the 600 K plateau for her career. She now has 601 strikeouts in 462.1 innings of work at Northwestern.
In the third, the Wildcats broke through for the game's first run. With freshman Stephanie Churchwell (Lake Forest, Calif./El Toro) and sophomore Garland Cooper (Mission Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) on second and third following a pair of singles, junior Jamie Dotson (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) hit a two-out single to score Churchwell, but Cooper was erased at the plate to end the inning after a relay from right field to first base to home.
Dotson finished the game 2-for-2 at the plate. Sophomore Katie Logan (Tempe, Ariz./Corona del Sol) also had single for the Wildcats.
In the second inning, Northwestern (11-5) loaded the bases with no outs, but was unable to score any runs. Junior Kristen Amegin (Sacramento, Calif./Elk Grove) led off with a single, then was replaced by pinch-runner Ashley Crane (Sammamish, Wash./Eastlake). Dotson was hit by a pitch before junior Sheila McCorkle (Costa Mesa, Calif./Mater Dei) reached on an error to juice the bases.
Crane and Dotson were gunned down at the plate on a pair of fielder's choices before a groundout ended NU's inning.
The Wildcats return to action in their second game Friday, March 4, at 8 p.m. CT against host Cal State Fullerton.
