Wildcats Come Back to Ride Past Broncos, 5-4

2/12/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Feb. 12, 2011

Box Score

Site: Tempe, Ariz. (Tempe Sports Complex)
Score: Northwestern 5, Western Michigan 4
Records: NU (2-1), Western Michigan (0-5)
Next NU Event: Feb. 12, 2011 -- vs. No. 23 Oklahoma State (Kajikawa Classic), Immediately

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Trailing most of the way against Western Michigan Saturday afternoon at the Kajikawa Classic, Northwestern pushed two runs across in the bottom of the sixth to earn a 5-4 victory over the Broncos.

The win improves NU to 2-1 on the season while Western Michigan falls to 0-5 on the year with its loss.

Northwestern got off to a tough start in the game, committing a pair of errors in the top of the first to contribute to a bases-loaded, one-out jam. Wildcat starter Sammy Albanese (Belmont, Calif./Castilleja) got a strikeout before coaxing a two-out roller to short that was just slow enough to allow the runner to beat it by an eighth of a step, giving Western Michigan an early 1-0 edge.

In the bottom of the inning, Emily Allard (Antioch, Calif./Deer Valley) led off with a tall one-bouncer over the pitcher's head and to the shortstop's glove that she beat out at first for a single. Allard swiped second, then one out later Adrienne Monka (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) joined her on base via a base on balls. Senior Michelle Batts (Bloomingdale, Ill./Glenbard North) then put the Wildcats on the board when she smacked a two-out double to the fence in right center, plating Allard and moving Monka to third. Freshman Mari Majam (Pine Valley, Calif./Mountain Empire) worked a walk to load the bases, but no further NU runs came in the frame.

Albanese held the Broncos in check in the top of the second, getting the third out when left fielder Jordan Wheeler (Garden Grove, Calif./Los Alamitos) charged in and made a full-out dive to catch a ball just above the turf.

In the bottom of the second, Robin Thompson (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King) was hit by a pitch with one out, then stole second base. Allard then laid down a perfect bunt single to move Thompson to third. No one covered first base on the play, but the pitcher realized it too late to stop her throw, sailing the ball into right to allow Thompson to score and give NU a 2-1 lead.

Allard then swiped second for the second time in the game before moving to third on a Kristin Scharkey (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza) sacrifice bunt, but the inning ended before Allard could come home.

Western Michigan fought back in the top of the third. A one-out hit by pitch put a runner on base, then a wild pitch moved her to second. The next batter sent an RBI single back through the middle to knot the score, 2-2.

Three freshmen (Marisa Bast (Orange, Calif./Villa Park), Majam and Albanese) all drew walks to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the third, but the WMU pitcher got a pair of strikeouts to erase the threat. Through three innings of play, the two teams already had combined to strand 12 runners on base.

Western Michigan broke the tie in the top of the fifth when a one-out walk was followed by a two-run home run to put the Broncos on top, 4-2.

Majam was hit by a pitch to lead off the Northwestern half of the fifth. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Albanese, then to third on a wild pitch. Pinch hitter Paige Tonz (Peoria, Ill./Centennial) then hit a hard grounder that took a hop with bad intentions off the face/body of the Bronco shortstop for a single, driving in Majam and cutting the NU deficit in half, 4-3.

Meghan Lamberth (Wildwood, Mo./Lafayette) relieved Albanese in the circle to begin the top of the sixth. Albanese went 5.0 innings in the game, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and a walk with six strikeouts. Lamberth surrendered a pair of infield singles in the inning, but no runs.

Scharkey led off the bottom of the sixth with a full-count one-hopper that skipped over the head of the third baseman for a leadoff single. Monka then drew her third walk of the game, giving way to pinch runner Kelly Quinn (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) at first. Bast stepped to the plate and lofted a ball into foul territory in right field, moving up both runners on the out. WMU then issued a four-pitch walk to Batts to load the bases with one down. Lauren Ackerman (St. Louis, Mo./Home schooled) took Batts' place at first to run.

Staring down a 1-2 count, Majam stayed patient and worked a full-count walk to drive home Scharkey and knot the score, 4-4. Lamberth then lifted a fly ball to the deepest part of center to move everybody up a base, plating Quinn to give NU a 5-4 edge.

In the top of the seventh, Lamberth set the side down in order to give NU the win. The second out of the inning came when Majam twisted and turned while tracking a deep shot in right, catching the ball on the run before crashing through the fence to preserve the lead. Lamberth earned the win in relief, going 2.0 innings and allowing no runs on two hits with two strikeouts.

Northwestern immediately returns to action tonight at the Kajikawa Classic against No. 23 Oklahoma State.

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