Native of Paradise: Eileen Canney One-Hits Hawaii, 5-0

Monday, March 20

Honolulu, Hawaii

9:00 PM

Northwestern

16-6

Hawai'i

14-13

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Northwestern	0	0	0	0	3	2	0	5	9	0
Hawaii	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	5

Native of Paradise: Eileen Canney One-Hits Hawaii, 5-0

3/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

March 20, 2006

HONOLULU, Hawaii -- Junior Eileen Canney (Paradise, Calif./Paradise) was not pitching in her hometown Monday night, but in Northwestern's finale on the island paradise of Oahu, she nearly was untouchable. Canney fired a one-hit shutout with a career-best 17 strikeouts in a 5-0 Wildcat win over the Wahine.

Canney reached double-digit Ks in just the fourth inning, whiffing the second batter of the frame for strikeout number 10. She fanned the side for the fourth time in the fifth inning to reach her career high of 14 strikeouts.

After the first two Wahine to the plate grounded out to start the sixth, Canney notched her 15th whiff to end that frame. She then fanned two more in the seventh to finish with 17.

Canney allowed only an infield single on a chopper that bounced high over her own head in the second inning, and a walk in the fourth.

Canney's performance matched Northwestern's most strikeouts in a game since senior Courtnay Foster (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro) fanned 17 on April 16, 2005, at Indiana.

With the win, the Wildcats extend their current winning streak to seven games and improve to 16-6 on the year. Hawaii falls to 14-13 on the season.

The game was a makeup after the teams' scheduled contest Sunday at the Bank of Hawaii Invitational was rained out. Northwestern earned the championship of that event with a 4-0 record.

Northwestern gave Canney some run support in the fifth inning. Freshman Tammy Williams (El Dorado Springs, Mo./Osceola) drew a leadoff walk, then stole second base. Junior Katie Logan (Tempe, Ariz./Corona del Sol) then reached first on an error by the shortstop.

Junior Garland Cooper (Mission Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) followed with a single up the middle to score Williams. The Wahine centerfielder attempted to throw out Logan rounding the bag at second, but her throw sailed into foul territory, allowing Logan to come all the way around to score for a 2-0 Wildcat lead. Cooper moved to second on the play.

Hawaii replaced starter Justine Smethurst with Paula Blanning after the single. Cooper then moved to third on a Blanning wild pitch.

With two outs, senior Sheila McCorkle (Costa Mesa, Calif./Mater Dei) laid down a nice bunt, forcing Blanning to rush her throw to first and airmail it into right field to allow Cooper to score for a 3-0 Northwestern lead.

In the sixth inning, senior Ashley Crane (Sammamish, Wash./Eastlake) led off with her third hit of the day, a line drive single to short. Sophomore Darcy Sengewald (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East) then reached on a fielder's choice, and Crane was safe at second on an error by the shortstop.

Williams stepped to plate and laid down a bunt single to load the bases with no outs. One out later, Cooper singled through the left side to score Crane. Senior Kristen Amegin (West Sacramento, Calif./Elk Grove) then lifted a sacrifice fly into center to plate Williams for a 5-0 Northwestern advantage.

The RBI gave Amegin 109 for her career, breaking a tie with Erin Jancic (1999-2002) atop the Wildcats' all-time list and giving Amegin the Northwestern RBI crown all to herself.

Cooper finished the game 3-for-4 with three singles, a run scored and two RBIs. Crane was 3-for-3, recording two singles, a double and a walk for the first three-hit game of her career.

Northwestern returns to action at 6 p.m. CT Thursday, March 23, with a doubleheader at Cal State Fullerton.