Northwestern University Athletics
Headliners! No. 12 Northwestern Travels to Las Vegas
2/15/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 15, 2006
Northwestern's Louisville Slugger Desert Classic Notes in PDF Format
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern opened 2006 last weekend in Tempe, Ariz., in intense fashion, facing the nation's toughest schedule while compiling a 3-2 record at the Kajikawa Classic. This weekend, the Wildcats travel to Las Vegas to headline the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic.
Showcasing just how challenging the opening weekend was, Northwestern lost a pair of games to top-5 opponents and still lept four spots to No. 12 in the latest NFCA/USA Today coaches poll. The No. 12 ranking is the highest in NU program history.
The Wildcats join three other ranked teams participating in the Desert Classic this weekend, and will face two of them. Northwestern gets a rematch of its season-opening 1-0 victory against No. 14 Oregon State and also will face No. 8 California.
Northwestern's other three opponents all are receiving votes in one of the two national polls. NU opens with Cal State Fullerton and also will play UNLV and Central Michigan.
The Wildcats' pitchers had a pretty good opening weekend, both throwing shutouts over ranked opponents. Junior Eileen Canney (Paradise, Calif./Paradise) struck out 11 and held then-No. 15 Oregon State to two hits in a 1-0 win, while senior Courtnay Foster (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro) threw the ninth one-hitter of her career in a 5-0 victory over No. 20 Fresno State.
Senior Ashley Crane (Sammamish, Wash./Eastlake) hit her second-career home run to defeat the Beavers last weekend, while senior Kristen Amegin (West Sacramento, Calif./Elk Grove) added to her Northwestern career-leading homer total with a three-run shot against Fresno State.
Of the Wildcats' three games last weekend when not facing a three-time All-America pitcher, the squad batted .318 as a team and did not surrender a single earned run.
For Northwestern's complete tournament notes, click on the link at the top of the page.
