Northwestern University Athletics
Wednesday, April 13
Urbana-Champaign, IL
5 p.m. CT
Northwestern
15-20, 6-4
12
at
6
Illinois
23-16, 3-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Northwestern
0
0
0
2
1
1
8
12
11
2
Illinois
0
0
0
2
3
1
0
6
7
2
Photo by: Stephen J. Carrera
#B1GCats Plate Eight In the Seventh To Beat Illini, 12-6
4/13/2016 7:49:00 PM | Softball
URBANA, Ill. – With Northwestern trailing Illinois, 6-4, entering the seventh inning Wednesday in the first game of a Big Ten doubleheader at Eichelberger Field, the Wildcats put up an EIGHT SPOT in the final frame to earn a 12-6 victory over the Illini.
Northwestern now is 15-20 overall, 6-4 in the Big Ten after the win. Illinois is 23-16, 3-7 in the conference. The Wildcats and the Illini play Game Two of their midweek double-dip immediately.
Both teams scored runs in so many possible ways including errors, fielder's choice balls, bases-loaded walks and hit by pitches, sacrifice flies -- really anything except for hits until the Wildcats took the bull by the horns with three seventh-inning doubles.
Sabrina Rabin led off the game with a bunt single in the top of the first followed by a steal of second and a Morgan Nelson walk…which accounted for nearly all of the offense for both teams through the first three innings of play. Illinois starter Breanna Wonderly bore down to retire the next three Wildcats in the initial frame, then she and Northwestern starter Amy Letourneau engaged in a pitcher's duel.
Illinois did not notch its first hit of the game until the third inning when the leadoff batter beat out an infield single, but Letourneau easily kept that Illini runner in place.
Northwestern broke the stalemate with a hitless rally in the top of the fourth, beginning when Andrea Filler was hit by the very first pitch of the frame. Letourneau drew a walk to push Filler to second before Sammy Nettling laid down a textbook sacrifice bunt. With Filler now standing at third, Alcy Bush dribbled a ball toward third slowly enough that Filler elected to race home, sliding in under the tag of the catcher to put the Wildcats on the board. One batter later, Brooke Marquez notched the only hit of the frame, a sizzling single to center that brought Letourneau across for a 2-0 NU edge.
Illinois responded in kind in the bottom half, plating two runs of their own including one on an RBI fielder's choice grounder where the throw home did not arrive in time. At one point Letourneau faced a bases-loaded, one-out situation with the score already tied 2-2 and she was able to get two pop outs to keep the game knotted.
NU moved back on top in the fifth when Nelson and Filler each singled before Letourneau walked to load the bases with one out. Nettling lined the first pitch she saw to right field where it was caught, but deep enough to allow the speedy Nelson to race home and slide in safely, making it a 3-2 game.
A two-out error in the bottom of the fifth opened the door for the Illini to score three runs and take their first lead of the game, 5-3.. Ensuing runs scored on a wild pitch and a single -- the first of Illinois' runs in the game to come home as a result of a base hit.
Northwestern battled back in the top of the sixth, taking advantage of a two-out error from the Illini. Krista Williams put a ball in play with two outs in the frame that was booted, opening the door for the Wildcats. Rabin and Nelson each followed with singles to load the bases, and Illinois replaced Wonderly in the circle with Jade Vecvanags. The new hurler issued a five-pitch walk to Filler, forcing Williams across to make it a one-run game, 5-4. Letourneau then battled through an elongated at-bat, but eventually succumbed on a sharp ground ball hit on the screws right at the shortstop.
Illinois got that run back with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the sixth, again forcing NU to face a two-run deficit in the seventh, which the Wildcats erased quickly...BEFORE EXPLODING.
Nettling led off with a walk and gave way to pinch runner Marissa Panko, who moved to second when Bush singled to left. Marquez sacrificed both over a bag, which proved to be huge when Fran Strub continued her magical Big Ten season with a smokin' double to left-center field that tied the game.
Illinois replaced Vecvanags with Kate Giddens after the double, and Williams greeted Giddens with a single into center, pushing Strub to third. Rabin then loaded the bases with a fielder's choice grounder to second that did not result in an out, but Nelson's ensuing screamer toward third was caught for the second out of the inning. Still, Filler patiently worked her way through a long at-bat, fouling off several two-strike pitches and eventually drawing her second bases-loaded walk of the game to push NU back on top, 7-6. Letourneau then drew a walk of her own before all heck broke loose.
Nettling slammed a bases-clearing double to left-center field that cleared the bases, then Bush followed with a double of her own to make it a 12-6 contest.
Letourneau finished off the seventh to earn the victory, evening her record on the year at 7-7. She allowed six runs (just two earned) on seven hits and five walks with three strikeouts.
Rabin, Nelson and Bush each had two hits for NU in the game. Nettling drove in four to lead that category. Filler had two RBIs and two runs scored, Letourneau score twice, Bush knocked home two and Strub also had two RBIs.
••••••
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, check us out on Instagram, visit our Social Media page and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To get involved with the #B1GCats, become a season-ticket holder or join the Wildcat Fund!
Northwestern now is 15-20 overall, 6-4 in the Big Ten after the win. Illinois is 23-16, 3-7 in the conference. The Wildcats and the Illini play Game Two of their midweek double-dip immediately.
Both teams scored runs in so many possible ways including errors, fielder's choice balls, bases-loaded walks and hit by pitches, sacrifice flies -- really anything except for hits until the Wildcats took the bull by the horns with three seventh-inning doubles.
Sabrina Rabin led off the game with a bunt single in the top of the first followed by a steal of second and a Morgan Nelson walk…which accounted for nearly all of the offense for both teams through the first three innings of play. Illinois starter Breanna Wonderly bore down to retire the next three Wildcats in the initial frame, then she and Northwestern starter Amy Letourneau engaged in a pitcher's duel.
Illinois did not notch its first hit of the game until the third inning when the leadoff batter beat out an infield single, but Letourneau easily kept that Illini runner in place.
Northwestern broke the stalemate with a hitless rally in the top of the fourth, beginning when Andrea Filler was hit by the very first pitch of the frame. Letourneau drew a walk to push Filler to second before Sammy Nettling laid down a textbook sacrifice bunt. With Filler now standing at third, Alcy Bush dribbled a ball toward third slowly enough that Filler elected to race home, sliding in under the tag of the catcher to put the Wildcats on the board. One batter later, Brooke Marquez notched the only hit of the frame, a sizzling single to center that brought Letourneau across for a 2-0 NU edge.
Illinois responded in kind in the bottom half, plating two runs of their own including one on an RBI fielder's choice grounder where the throw home did not arrive in time. At one point Letourneau faced a bases-loaded, one-out situation with the score already tied 2-2 and she was able to get two pop outs to keep the game knotted.
NU moved back on top in the fifth when Nelson and Filler each singled before Letourneau walked to load the bases with one out. Nettling lined the first pitch she saw to right field where it was caught, but deep enough to allow the speedy Nelson to race home and slide in safely, making it a 3-2 game.
A two-out error in the bottom of the fifth opened the door for the Illini to score three runs and take their first lead of the game, 5-3.. Ensuing runs scored on a wild pitch and a single -- the first of Illinois' runs in the game to come home as a result of a base hit.
Northwestern battled back in the top of the sixth, taking advantage of a two-out error from the Illini. Krista Williams put a ball in play with two outs in the frame that was booted, opening the door for the Wildcats. Rabin and Nelson each followed with singles to load the bases, and Illinois replaced Wonderly in the circle with Jade Vecvanags. The new hurler issued a five-pitch walk to Filler, forcing Williams across to make it a one-run game, 5-4. Letourneau then battled through an elongated at-bat, but eventually succumbed on a sharp ground ball hit on the screws right at the shortstop.
Illinois got that run back with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the sixth, again forcing NU to face a two-run deficit in the seventh, which the Wildcats erased quickly...BEFORE EXPLODING.
Nettling led off with a walk and gave way to pinch runner Marissa Panko, who moved to second when Bush singled to left. Marquez sacrificed both over a bag, which proved to be huge when Fran Strub continued her magical Big Ten season with a smokin' double to left-center field that tied the game.
Illinois replaced Vecvanags with Kate Giddens after the double, and Williams greeted Giddens with a single into center, pushing Strub to third. Rabin then loaded the bases with a fielder's choice grounder to second that did not result in an out, but Nelson's ensuing screamer toward third was caught for the second out of the inning. Still, Filler patiently worked her way through a long at-bat, fouling off several two-strike pitches and eventually drawing her second bases-loaded walk of the game to push NU back on top, 7-6. Letourneau then drew a walk of her own before all heck broke loose.
Nettling slammed a bases-clearing double to left-center field that cleared the bases, then Bush followed with a double of her own to make it a 12-6 contest.
Letourneau finished off the seventh to earn the victory, evening her record on the year at 7-7. She allowed six runs (just two earned) on seven hits and five walks with three strikeouts.
Rabin, Nelson and Bush each had two hits for NU in the game. Nettling drove in four to lead that category. Filler had two RBIs and two runs scored, Letourneau score twice, Bush knocked home two and Strub also had two RBIs.
••••••
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, check us out on Instagram, visit our Social Media page and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To get involved with the #B1GCats, become a season-ticket holder or join the Wildcat Fund!
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Letourneau, Amy (7-7)
L: Vecvanags, Jade (10-10)
Batting:
2B: Nettling, Sammy 1 ; Bush, Alcy 1 ; Strub, Fran 1
RBI: Filler, Andrea 2 ; Letourneau, Amy 1 ; Nettling, Sammy 4 ; Bush, Alcy 2 ; Marquez, Brooke 1 ; Strub, Fran 2
SH: Nettling, Sammy 1 ; Marquez, Brooke 1
SF: Nettling, Sammy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rabin, Sabrina 1 ; Nelson, Morgan 1 ; Filler, Andrea 2 ; Letourneau, Amy 2 ; Nettling, Sammy 1 ; Panko, Marissa 1 ; Bush, Alcy 1 ; Strub, Fran 1 ; Williams, Krista 2
SB: Rabin, Sabrina 1
HBP: Filler, Andrea 1
Batting:
2B: Bauch, Allie 1
RBI: Evans, Nicole 1 ; Brodner, Emily 1 ; Trezzo, Danielle 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Gunther, Alyssa 2 ; Acosta, Sam 1 ; Rivera, Ruby 2 ; Fleming, Annie 1
HBP: Brodner, Emily 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
2
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
P/1B
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballIF/C
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
IF/OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
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