Wildcats Bull Rush Matadors, 15-2

3/5/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball

March 5, 2011

Box Score

Site: Fullerton, Calif. (South Field)
Score: Northwestern 15, Cal State Northridge 2
Records: NU (10-5), Cal State Northridge (6-11)
Next NU Event: March 5, 2011 -- vs. Oregon State (DeMarini Invitational), Immediately

FULLERTON, Calif. -- Northwestern shrugged off a slow start Saturday against Cal State Northridge at the DeMarini Invitational, exploding for 15 runs in the latter innings to take down the Matadors, 15-2.

Northwestern improves to 10-5 overall on the season, 3-0 at the DeMarini Invitational with its win. Cal State Northridge now is 6-11 on the year with its loss. NU's 15 runs were its most in a single game since run-ruling Michigan State 15-0 (5) on April 21 of last year.

The Matadors took the game's first lead when a two-out pop fly in the bottom of the first fell in front of a charging outfielder for a run-scoring single against Northwestern starter Sammy Albanese (Belmont, Calif./Castilleja). Besides a pair of scattered two-out singles for Northwestern, that was essentially all of the offense in the game until the Wildcats' half of the fourth.

In that top of the fourth, Adrienne Monka (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) led off with her second single of the game before yielding first base to pinch runner Lauren Ackerman (St. Louis, Mo./Home schooled). Michelle Batts (Bloomingdale, Ill./Glenbard North) then crushed a home run over the fence in right field to put the Wildcats on top, 2-1.

The shot was Batts' second of the season and the 35th of her career, giving her sole possession of sixth-place on NU's all-time home run list.

After Albanese stranded a leadoff Matador double to protect that lead in the bottom of the fourth, NU added five runs to its cushion in the fifth. Kristin Scharkey (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza) led off by being hit by a pitch before stealing second. Emily Allard (Antioch, Calif./Deer Valley) then sacrificed her to third before Scharkey trotted home on a little pop single behind second by Robin Thompson (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King). With the score now 3-1, Thompson stole second and Monka drew a walk to occupy the vacancy at first. Respecting the bomb Batts dropped in the fourth frame, Northridge then intentionally walked her to load the bases with one down.

Marisa Bast (Orange, Calif./Villa Park) then ripped a ball to third that the fielder knocked down, grabbed and fired to the plate. The catcher could not squeeze the strike, however, resulting in Thompson being safe on the error. Paige Tonz (Peoria, Ariz./Centennial) then broke the game open with a two-run double to the left-center gap, driving in Monka and Amanda Mehrsheikh (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central) (who was pinch running for Batts). Kelly Quinn's (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) second single of the game drove in one more run to make it a 7-1 game before the frame finally ended.

After a lightning quick bottom of the fifth for Albanese, Northridge replaced starter Carly Wade (1-8) in the circle with Hannah Fraijo. The new hurler issued a four-pitch walk to Jordan Wheeler (Garden Grove, Calif./Los Alamitos), but stymied NU after that. Albanese then retired her seventh and eighth straight batters in the game before a two-out Wildcats' error, but she set the next batter down to finish the sixth.

In the top of the seventh, Batts drew a leadoff walk before giving first base over to pinch runner Mari Majam (Pine Valley, Calif./Mountain Empire). Bast then hit a Texas-leaguer behind second that a diving center fielder was unable to get to for a single. One out later, Quinn worked a walk to load the bases before Albanese jumped into the lineup to bat for the DP position, lofting a single into center to plate Majam and make the score 8-1. Wheeler would re-enter the game to run at first base for Albanese.

Scharkey then lined a ball to third but was safe when the first baseman could not squeeze the throw, allowing Bast to score. Allard followed with a shot into center that plated Quinn to push the cushion to nine, 10-1. At that point, Northridge replaced Fraijo with Ashley Aratow, who walked pinch hitter Olivia Zolke (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Mira Costa) to force in another run before Monka jacked a grand slam to make it a 15-1 score. Monka's blast was her sixth of the season and the 37th of her career.

The inning continued when pinch hitter Lauren Tyndall (Edmonda, Okla./Edmond Memorial) and Tonz were hit by pitches with two outs, but ended without further scoring. The eight runs were NU's most in a single inning since notching eight against Ohio State on May 8, 2008.

Cal State Northridge added a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the seventh before Albanese (1-1) closed the door. She earned the complete game win, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts.

At the plate, Monka finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored to lead NU. Quinn collected a pair of hits. Scharkey, Thompson and Bast all scored twice while Tonz and Batts both drove in a pair.

Northwestern returns to action immediately at the DeMarini Invitational against Oregon State.

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