No. 16 Wildcats Sweep Golden Gophers, 4-2

Sunday, April 23

Minneapolis, Minn.

2:00 PM

Northwestern

33-10, 11-2

Minnesota

12-29, 1-15

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

No. 16 Wildcats Sweep Golden Gophers, 4-2

4/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

April 24, 2006

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Coming off its longest regular-season game in more than 23 years, No. 16 Northwestern again rallied from behind to defeat Minnesota Sunday afternoon, 4-2, in the back end of what turned into a 25-inning doubleheader.

The Wildcats improve to 33-10 with the victory and maintain first place in the Big Ten standings with an 11-2 record. Minnesota falls to 12-29 overall, 1-15 in the conference.

Just like in the 18-inning marathon first game of the doubleheader, Minnesota scored first in the nightcap. With runners on first and third and one out in the top of the fourth, the Gophers executed a successful squeeze bunt before a bases-loaded walk to take the first lead of the game, 2-0.

With the score still 2-0 in the bottom of the sixth, freshman Tammy Williams (El Dorado Spring, Mo./Osceola) lined a leadoff single into left, then moved to second when junior Garland Cooper (Mission Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) drew a five-pitch walk. Senior Jamie Dotson (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) followed with a single into left field to bring Williams around from second and cut the Gopher lead to one, 2-1.

With two outs in the inning, Dotson on third and senior Sheila McCorkle (Costa Mesa, Calif./Mater Dei) on second after a fielder's choice, freshman Erin Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) hit a ground ball back up the middle that caused Colleen Conway at short to range far enough to her left that she booted it to allow Dotson to score and tie the game, 2-2.

Dyer stole second base to again put runners on second and third, and senior Ashley Crane (Sammamish, Wash./Eastlake) followed with a slow roller to short. Conway rushed her throw in an attempt to get Crane at first, and it skipped into the dugout to allow both McCorkle and Dyer to score for a 4-2 Northwestern lead. Crane was credited with a single and one RBI for the hit.

Senior Courtnay Foster (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro) earned the complete-game victory for the 'Cats, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts. She improves to 18-5 on the season.

Williams finished the game 2-for-3 with a double, while Dotson was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored.

The Wildcats return to action at 3 p.m. CT, Friday, April 28 at Michigan State.