Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
16-21, 4-6
Minnesota
23-14, 4-6
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Moulton,Sara (17-11)
L: Albanese, Sammy (1-4)
Batting:
2B: Smyth,Erika 1 ; Blanchette,Bree 1
HR: Meyer,Erica 1
RBI: Meyer,Erica 4 ; Eckstrom,Madie 1 ; Skrove,Dannie 1 ; Smyth,Erika 2 ; Blanchette,Bree 2
SH: Davis,Alex 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Walker,Tyler 1 ; Meyer,Erica 2 ; Richardson,Kaitlyn 1 ; Eckstrom,Madie 1 ; Pafko, Alex 1 ; Skrove,Dannie 2 ; Smyth,Erika 1 ; Blanchette,Bree 1
Batting:
RBI: Bast, Marisa 1
SH: Majam, Mari 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Allard, Emily 1 ; Tonz, Paige 1
SB: Allard, Emily 2
HBP: Monka, Adrienne 1 ; Tonz, Paige 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Minnesota Pulls Away From Northwestern, 10-2 (5)
4/14/2012 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The Wildcats fall to 16-21 overall on the season, 4-6 in the Big Ten with their loss. The Gophers now are 23-14 on the year, 4-6 in the conference. Northwestern and Minnesota return to action immediately for game two of their Big Ten Saturday doubleheader.
Minnesota got on the board first against Northwestern starter Amy Letourneau (Laguna Niguel, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic), loading the bases with one out on two walks and a dinker of an infield single. Another walk forced in the first run of the game before Sammy Albanese (Belmont, Calif./Castilleja) entered the circle in relief. She got the first batter she faced to pop out in foul territory to catcher Paige Tonz (Peoria, Ariz./Centennial) before the next batter singled to center. Kristin Scharkey (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza) limited the Minnesota lead to 2-0 and ended the inning on the play, scooping the ball and firing home to get the trail runner out.
Northwestern also got on the board in the first courtesy of some pure Emily Allard (Antioch, Calif./Deer Valley) speed. The junior beat out an infield single to lead off the frame before stealing second. She moved to third on a nice little Mari Majam (Pine Valley, Calif./Mountain Empire) slap-rifice before coming home when Marisa Bast (Orange, Calif./Villa Park) grounded out to third. The fielder looked Allard back to the bag, but it did not matter with the jet trail she left coming down the line and sliding home safely to make it a 2-1 contest.
Albanese had a tremendous top of the second, striking out the Minnesota side before Northwestern tied the game in the bottom half. With two outs, Gopher starter Sara Moulton hit Tonz with a pitch and then battled with Scharkey before eventually walking the junior. Allard followed by beating out her second single of the game by getting to the bag before the throw, which sailed wide to allow Tonz to tie the game, 2-2, on the error.
Northwestern threatened again in the bottom of the third before a well-executed short-hop 6-4-3 double play ended the thought of runs in that frame. Minnesota then loaded the bases with one out in the top of the fourth courtesy of an NU error and two Gopher singles. The next batter hit a grand slam to put Minnesota back in front, 6-2.
The Gophers loaded the bases again with no outs in the top of the fifth before a two-run double made it an 8-2 game. Meghan Lamberth (Wildwood, Mo./Lafayette) then entered the circle in relief with runners at second and third and still no outs, and eventually both inherited runners came in to score before the frame ended.
With Northwestern needing a run in the bottom of the fifth to avoid the run-rule, Scharkey battled through a protracted leadoff at-bat before being thrown out by a quarter step on a high one-chopper to short. The Wildcats were unable to get the score, ending the game early.
Letourneau went one-third of an inning in the start and was charged with two runs on one hit and three walks with a K. Albanese (1-4) took the loss, going 3.2 innings and surrendering eight runs (seven earned) on five hits and four walks with three strikeouts. Lamberth went 1.0 inning of relief, allowing a hit and a walk with a strikeout.
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