Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
No. 7 Arizona
No. 9 Northwestern Tops No. 7 Arizona, 3-1
2/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 7, 2009
Box Score
TEMPE, Ariz. -- No. 9 Northwestern scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to defeat No. 7 Arizona Saturday at the Kajikawa Classic, marking NU's second-straight victory over its Pac-10 mascot counterpart.
Northwestern now is 2-1 on the season while Arizona falls to 1-2 on the year. NU also defeated UA at the Kajikawa in 2008.
Northwestern got a base hit in each of the first four innings against Arizona starter Lindsey Sisk, but was never able to advance a runner past second in those frames.
Wildcats' starter Lauren Delaney (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) did not allow a base knock until the fourth when Arizona led off the inning with a double. A walk followed before Delaney escaped the jam with a strikeout and a pair of flyouts.
Two walks and a single just off the very tip of the outstretched glove of a leaping Tammy Williams (Roscoe, Mo./Osceola) at short gave Arizona a bases loaded situation with one out in the top of the fifth. Another walk pushed across the game's first run before Delaney got a pop out and comebacker to end the threat.
One day ago against No. 23 Nevada, junior Kelly Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) responded to a Wolfpack run by hitting a solo homer to lead off the next inning. Saturday morning against Arizona, she did the exact same thing. With NU now trailing, Dyer lofted a home run over the fence in right to knot the score, 1-1. The shot was her second of the season and the 10th of her career.
The Wildcats did not stop with the single swing. Kelly Quinn (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) followed with a walk, then moved to second one out later when pinch hitter Emily Haug (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) was hit by a pitch. She was replaced at first when Robin Thompson (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King) re-entered the game. Williams then chopped an infield single off the glove of a leaping Sisk to load the bases before Nicole Pauly (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) ripped a single down the left-field line to score both Quinn and Thompson and give NU a 3-1 advantage.
Arizona made things interesting in the top of the seventh, loading the bases with two outs before Delaney retired the final batter to earn the victory. The junior is 2-1 on the season after allowing one run on four hits and five walks with four strikeouts.
Kelly Dyer finished the game 3-for-3 with a home run, while Williams was 2-for-3 at the plate to give her 250 hits for her career. Pauly knocked in a pair of runs.
Northwestern returns to action at 5 p.m. CT later this afternoon against Kansas.
