Northwestern University Athletics
Saturday, March 18
Santa Clara, Calif.
6:30 p.m. CT/4:30 p.m. PT
Northwestern
7-14
4
vs
2
Grand Canyon
24-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Grand Canyon
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
2
8
0
Northwestern
0
0
4
0
0
0
X
4
6
2
Four-Run Third Inning Sends Northwestern Over Grand Canyon, 4-2
3/18/2017 8:33:00 PM | Softball
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Northwestern broke through for one big inning Saturday against Grand Canyon at the Santa Clara Round Robin Tournament, using a four-run third inning outburst to outpace the Antelopes, 4-2.
Northwestern improves to 7-14 overall on the season with its win while Grand Canyon falls to 24-7 with its loss in the game.
Northwestern returns to action immediately against Round Robin Tournament host Santa Clara.
Both NU starter Morgan Newport and Grand Canyon starter Taylor Nowlin mowed down opposing batters early in the game.
It took until the bottom of the third inning, but the Wildcats broke through to take the game's first lead. With one out, Newport and Krista Williams record back-to-back singles before Marissa Panko pounded a double down the line in right to score Newport and push NU in front, 1-0. Sammy Nettling then drew a walk to load the bases before Kenzie Ellis cleared them, drilling a three-run double over the head of the centerfielder to make it a 4-0 Northwestern lead.
Grand Canyon threatened the lead in the fourth, putting runners at the corners with one out against Newport. The first-year hurler calmly got an infield pop-up and a groundout to end that rally.
The Antelopes did cut the Wildcats lead in half in the top of the sixth, though. Back-to-back leadoff singles made their way aboard before Newport retired the next two batters, leaving runners at the corners with two down. A two-out single scored one run before a second single looked to leave the bases loaded, but the throw through to the plate got away for a run-scoring error. NU then ended the rally still on top, 4-2.
With the score the same in the top of the seventh, Ellis entered the circle in relief of Newport. She allowed a leadoff walk but retired the next three batters in order to close out the NU victory.
Newport (4-3) picked up the win, surrendering two runs (one earned) on eight hits and a walk with two strikeouts. Ellis earned her first save of the year with a scoreless seventh.
Both Williams and Panko had two hits apiece at the plate while Ellis delivered the big blow for the Wildcats with her three-run double.
Northwestern improves to 7-14 overall on the season with its win while Grand Canyon falls to 24-7 with its loss in the game.
Northwestern returns to action immediately against Round Robin Tournament host Santa Clara.
Both NU starter Morgan Newport and Grand Canyon starter Taylor Nowlin mowed down opposing batters early in the game.
It took until the bottom of the third inning, but the Wildcats broke through to take the game's first lead. With one out, Newport and Krista Williams record back-to-back singles before Marissa Panko pounded a double down the line in right to score Newport and push NU in front, 1-0. Sammy Nettling then drew a walk to load the bases before Kenzie Ellis cleared them, drilling a three-run double over the head of the centerfielder to make it a 4-0 Northwestern lead.
Grand Canyon threatened the lead in the fourth, putting runners at the corners with one out against Newport. The first-year hurler calmly got an infield pop-up and a groundout to end that rally.
The Antelopes did cut the Wildcats lead in half in the top of the sixth, though. Back-to-back leadoff singles made their way aboard before Newport retired the next two batters, leaving runners at the corners with two down. A two-out single scored one run before a second single looked to leave the bases loaded, but the throw through to the plate got away for a run-scoring error. NU then ended the rally still on top, 4-2.
With the score the same in the top of the seventh, Ellis entered the circle in relief of Newport. She allowed a leadoff walk but retired the next three batters in order to close out the NU victory.
Newport (4-3) picked up the win, surrendering two runs (one earned) on eight hits and a walk with two strikeouts. Ellis earned her first save of the year with a scoreless seventh.
Both Williams and Panko had two hits apiece at the plate while Ellis delivered the big blow for the Wildcats with her three-run double.
••••••
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Newport, Morgan (4-3)
L: Nowlin,Taylor (13-3)
S: Ellis, Kenzie (1)
Batting:
2B: Gonzalez,Dominique 1
RBI: Dowdle,Madelyn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Boling,Bianca 1 ; Wartman,Camree 1
Batting:
2B: Panko, Marissa 1 ; Ellis, Kenzie 1
RBI: Panko, Marissa 1 ; Ellis, Kenzie 3
SH: Panko, Marissa 1 ; Ellis, Kenzie 1 ; Bush, Alcy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Williams, Krista 1 ; Panko, Marissa 1 ; Nettling, Sammy 1 ; Newport, Morgan 1
SB: Panko, Marissa 1
CS: Panko, Marissa 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
dp/p
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
3
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
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/ SoftballP/U
/ SoftballIF/OF
/ SoftballOF
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