South Florida Answers Northwestern Comeback, 3-2

3/22/2016 6:41:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

TAMPA, Fla. – Playing one of the hottest teams in the nation, Northwestern got a game-tying home run in the top of the seventh only to see South Florida hit a two-out, walk-off double in the bottom half to earn a 3-2 victory over NU.

South Florida's winning streak has hit 18 with Tuesday's victory, increasing its overall record to 26-9. Northwestern now is 9-16 overall on the season.

Northwestern now returns to Big Ten country for its conference-opening series at No. 2 Michigan Friday through Sunday, March 25-27.

Alcy Bush set the defensive tone for Northwestern in the bottom of the first. After a leadoff single in that frame, the next batter attempted to bunt with the runner in motion. The ball caught air and Bush, charging from first, came flying in with a dive to make the catch. She landed, rolled over, realized the runner was standing on second base unaware, and popped up to race back to first and complete an unassisted double play.

Northwestern had the game's first scoring chance in the top of the third when senior Caylor Arnold led off with a walk, moved to second on a Brooke Marquez sacrifice bunt and then to third when a Sabrina Rabin slap was muffed for an error. Rabin swiped second on the first pitch of the next at-bat, but South Florida ace Erica Nunn got a strikeout and a flyout to end the inning.

South Florida found itself in a similar situation in the bottom of the third, loading the bases with two outs. This time, the batter hit a ball to third and NU's fielder elected to take the ball the short way to the bag instead of throwing to first, but the speedy USF runner beat her there for a run-scoring fielder's choice.

The score remained the same while both Amy Letourneau and Nunn breezed through the opposing orders. In the bottom of the fourth, Letourneau stuck out the side and Nunn responded with a quick 1-2-3 top of the fifth before, with two outs in the bottom of that frame, South Florida added a run on a solo homer to make it a 2-0 contest.

The Wildcats finally connected on a threat in the top of the sixth. Rabin and Krista Williams led off the frame with back-to-back singles that put runners at the corners, then Andrea Filler lifted a fly ball to center that easily was deep enough to score Rabin and cut the deficit to 2-1.

Later, with two outs and Williams at second via a stolen base, South Florida elected to replace Nunn with Susan Wysocki, who promptly walked Sammy Nettling and in the process tossed a ball to the backstop that moved Williams to third. Aubrie May entered to pinch hit and slammed a ball deep into the hole at short where the USF fielder made a tremendous backhand and a fireball of a throw to retire May and keep the Bulls on top.

Kristen Wood entered the game in relief in the bottom of the sixth for the Wildcats and struck out two around a one-out single to keep NU within a single run.

In the top of the seventh, freshman Morgan Nelson led off after entering the game as a defensive replacement in the previous half inning. She made her presence at the plate known immediately with a game-tying, leadoff jack over the fence in right for the fourth home run of her career. South Florida immediately re-inserted Nunn into the circle, and the ace held NU without any further scoring.

In the bottom of the seventh, South Florida got a two-out walk, then won the game on a walk-off double into the right-center gap.

Letourneau turned in another strong start, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work. Wood (1-5) took the loss, allowing one run on two hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 1.2 frames.

Williams had two of Northwestern's four hits in the game.