Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Cal State Northridge
No. 15 Wildcats Fight Past Matadors, 6-3
2/12/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 12, 2010
TEMPE, Ariz. -- No. 15 Northwestern got a fifth-inning home run from junior Michelle Batts (Bloomingdale, Ill./Glenbard North) to break a 3-3 deadlock Friday evening against Cal State Northridge, eventually pulling away for a 6-3 victory in the Wildcats' 2010 season opener.
Northwestern (1-0) started its offense on the first pitch of the season. Junior Robin Thompson (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King) laid down a bunt and moved to second when the throw to first got away on an error. Freshman Emily Allard (Antioch, Calif./Deer Valley) then drew a walk before motoring to third on a Nicole Pauly (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) ground rule double to left. Thompson scored to give NU an early 1-0 lead.
Adrienne Monka (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) drew a walk to load the bases before a fielder's choice grounder eliminated Allard at the plate for the first out of the frame. Emily Haug (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) lined a comebacker off the pitcher's glove before being thrown out at first, but Pauly came in to score to make it 2-0 at the end of the first.
The Wildcats added another run in the top of the second. Kelly Quinn (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) led off with a single before moving to second on a groundout by Jordan Wheeler (Garden Grove, Calif./Los Alamitos). Thompson then poked a single back through the middle to allow Quinn to come home and make NU's advantage three, 3-0.
Junior starter Jessica Smith (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon) was perfect through the first 2.1 innings before surrendering a pair of runs in the third. She settled down from the knocks, however, to coax an easy one-hop comebacker to end the frame with the Wildcats still on top, 3-2.
The Matadors (0-2) knotted the game in the bottom of the fourth on a one-out single to center with runners at second and third. Kelly Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) gunned the ball to Haug behind the plate to nail the trail runner and keep things even, 3-3.
Northwestern seized momentum back in the top of the fifth with its first big fly of the year. With two outs in the frame, Monka drew her second walk of the game before Batts hit a soaring beast of a home run over the fence in right center to put the Wildcats back on top, 5-3. The blast was the 21st of her career, giving her sole possession of sixth on NU's all-time list.
To begin the bottom of the inning, freshman Meghan Lamberth (Wildwood, Mo./Lafayette) entered the circle in relief of Smith (1-0), who went 4.0 innings, allowing three runs on three hits with two walks and a strikeout. Lamberth quickly retired the side in nine pitches.
In the top of the seventh, Pauly was hit by a one-out pitch before Monka was issued her third walk of the ball game. Freshman Lauren Ackerman (St. Louis, Mo./Home schooled) replaced Monka at first. One out later, Haug laced a single through the right side of the infield to plate Pauly and make it 6-3.
Lamberth gave up a two-out double in the bottom of the seventh before getting the final batter looking on strikes. Lamberth went 3.0 innings, giving up no runs on three hits with three strikeouts for the save in her first collegiate ball game.
Haug went 2-for-3 with two RBIs while Batts drove in a pair and Pauly crossed the plate twice.
Northwestern returns to action immediately against Cal State Fullerton at the Kajikawa Classic.
