Courtnay Foster, Wildcats Blank Cowgirls, 1-0

Saturday, March 18

Honolulu, Hawaii

4:00 PM

Northwestern

14-6

Oklahoma State

13-13

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Oklahoma State	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1
Northwestern	1	0	0	0	0	0	X	1	4	2

Courtnay Foster, Wildcats Blank Cowgirls, 1-0

3/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

March 18, 2006

HONOLULU, Hawaii -- Senior Courtnay Foster (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro) threw the 25th shutout of her career Saturday, mowing down Oklahoma State, 1-0, with a two-hitter at the Bank of Hawaii Invitational.

Foster allowed only an infield single in the hole at short in the fifth and a single to left in the seventh. She struck out 10 and surrendered five walks to move her record to 9-4 on the season. Foster ranks fourth on Northwestern's career shutouts list, eight behind Cathy Tawse who put together 33 from 1983-86.

With the win, Northwestern extends its current winning streak to five games and improves to 14-6 overall on the season. The Wildcats are 4-0 at the Bank of Hawaii Invitational. Oklahoma State falls to 13-13 on the year, 1-3 in the tournament.

The victory is the 150th of head coach Kate Drohan's career and the 800th in the history of Northwestern softball.

Just like in Saturday's first game, Northwestern scored in the first inning after freshman Tammy Williams (El Dorado Springs, Mo./Osceola) got on base with an error. Junior Katie Logan (Tempe, Ariz./Corona del Sol) then earned an infield single to put runners on first and second with no outs.

Junior Garland Cooper (Mission Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) drove Williams in with a single into center to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. Logan and Cooper moved up a base on the throw home. The inning ended one out later after senior Sheila McCorkle (Costa Mesa, Calif./Mater Dei) hit a hard, sinking liner to center that was tracked down for out three.

After that initial run, both teams were unable to find much in the way of offense. Senior Courtnay Foster (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro) held Oklahoma State well in check, carrying a no-hitter through 4.1 innings before an error and an infield single put runners on first and second with one out in the fifth for the Cowgirls. A pair of groundouts quickly ended the threat.

Trailing by just one in the top of the seventh, Oklahoma State put runners on first and second with nobody out. Foster whiffed the next batter (twice, actually. The batter swung and missed at strike three, but the play was called dead because a foul ball had been thrown back into play in left field. Foster then got her swinging again on the next pitch).

The next batter creamed a hot shot to third, where sophomore Darcy Sengewald (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East) laid out to catch the ball on the fly. Sengewald then whipped the ball to second to double up the runner and end the game.

Freshman Erin Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) and senior Sheila McCorkle (Costa Mesa, Calif./Mater Dei) recorded Northwestern's other hits in the game, both doubles.

Northwestern returns to action at 6 p.m. CT (2 p.m. local) Sunday, March 19, against tournament host Hawaii.