Northwestern Falls in Tight, 1-0 Game Against Indiana

5/7/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball

May 7, 2011

Box Score

Site: Evanston, Ill. (Drysdale Field)
Score: Indiana 1, Northwestern 0
Records: NU (22-18, 4-11 Big Ten), Indiana (35-15, 15-2 Big Ten)
Next NU Event: May 8, 2011 -- vs. Indiana (Drysdale Field), 3 p.m. CT Big Ten Network

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern played a strong game in the field and in the circle Saturday against Indiana at Sharon J. Drysdale Field, but the Wildcats were unable to generate any offense against the Hoosiers' All-America pitcher in a 1-0 loss.

With the loss, Northwestern falls to 22-18 overall on the season, 4-11 in the Big Ten. Indiana now is 35-15 on the year, 15-2 in the conference after its win.

The game began as a pitcher's duel between Northwestern senior Jessica Smith (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon) and Indiana senior Morgan Melloh, who leads the nation in strikeouts. Both pitchers were dominant in the first two innings and Smith made quick work of the first two Hoosiers to the plate in the third. A two-out single followed by a triple, however, gave Indiana the game's first lead, 1-0.

Northwestern loaded the bases against Melloh in the bottom of the third, getting a one-out single from Kristin Scharkey (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza) before Emily Allard (Antioch, Calif./Deer Valley) forced an error on the shortstop with a bounder. One out later, Adrienne Monka (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) drew a walk to load the bags. The next batter worked a full count and fouled off a pitch before ultimately going down on strikes to end the threat.

The pitchers continued to be the story in the game in the middle innings. Smith allowed a leadoff single in the fifth inning but worked around it beautifully. Melloh continued to deny Northwestern batters access to the base paths.

Indiana put together a much more serious threat in the sixth inning when an error and a single allowed back-to-back leadoff Hoosiers to reach base. After a sacrifice bunt, Smith coaxed an infield pop up from a pinch hitter and a harmless groundout to keep NU within one, 1-0.

In the bottom of the sixth, Monka worked a full-count walk with one out to reach base for the second time in the game. Mari Majam (Pine Valley, Calif./Mountain Empire) entered the game to run for Monka and, one out later, Michelle Batts (Bloomingdale, Ill./Glenbard North) narrowly missed sending one out of the park, getting just under the ball and ending up with a flyout to center to end the inning.

Indiana led off the seventh with a single, but the runner was thrown out by Jordan Wheeler (Garden Grove, Calif./Los Alamitos) from the outfield trying to extend the hit into a double. The next two batters worked walks and eventually Indiana loaded the bases with two outs, but Smith got a three-pitch strikeout to end the frame.

Northwestern nearly tied the game in the bottom of the seventh. Senior Kelly Quinn (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) hit a ball to the fence in left field with one out that turned the fielder around multiple times, ending up caroming off the top of the fence for a double. Indiana botched the relay throw in, so Quinn took off for third, but the ball was retrieved in time to put her out and quash NU's final threat.

Smith (7-10) took the loss after allowing just the single run on six hits and four walks with four strikeouts.

Northwestern and Indiana conclude their series at 3 p.m. CT tomorrow, Sunday, May 8. The game will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.

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