Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Michigan State
Michigan State Stops No. 15 Northwestern, 2-0
4/29/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 29, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Zero after zero posted on the scoreboard Friday afternoon at Sharon J. Drysdale Field, and Michigan State's two runs in the top of the eighth proved enough to end No. 15 Northwestern's perfect run through the Big Ten, 2-0.
With the loss, Northwestern falls to 14-1 in the Conference and 34-12 overall. Its magic number to clinch the Big Ten remains at two. Michigan State improves to 21-24-1 overall, 7-6 in the Big Ten.
Pitching dominated the game, with Northwestern's Eileen Canney (Paradise, Calif./Paradise) and Michigan State's Rachel Turney both posting shutouts through seven innings. The Wildcats twice loaded the bases in the game, but were unable to score.
In the top of the second inning, junior Kristen Amegin (Sacramento, Calif./Elk Grove) drew a one-out walk. The free pass was the 75th of her career, tying the Northwestern all-time record.
In the bottom of the fifth, Northwestern started to make some noise. Freshman Darcy Sengewald (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East) drew a two-out walk and sophomore Katie Logan (Tempe, Ariz./Corona del Sol) reached on a throwing error by the shortstop.
Freshman Stephanie Churchwell (Lake Forest, Calif./El Toro) then singled to shortstop to load the bases. The hit extended Churchwell personal and team-best hitting streak to 15 games, however the inning would end there with no runs scored.
In the top of the eighth, Michigan State scored the games only runs on a walk, a single and a two-run double down the left-field line from Nicole Mercado.
The Wildcats did not go quietly. Churchwell hit a one-out single, then advanced to second when senior Erin Mobley (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) laid down a perfect bunt single down the third base line.
Sophomore Garland Cooper (Mission Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) followed with a hard line drive in the vicinity of second base, and Janette Hurtado lunged at it, knocking it down to the ground. The runners had to hold in case it was caught, and Churchwell was thrown out at third.
Junior Jamie Dotson (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) loaded the bases with a two-out walk, but a soft liner to first base by Amegin was caught by a diving Elizabeth Peterson to end the game.
Canney pitched seven scoreless innings, but her record dropped to 17-5 after the two runs in the eighth. She gave up just three hits and struck out nine batters.
Turney pitched the entire game for MSU, improving her record to 12-13 with the win.
Northwestern and Michigan State hook up again at noon tomorrow, Saturday, April 30, for Senior Day at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.
