Northwestern Rambles Past Loyola (Chicago), 6-3

4/12/2017 6:20:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

CHICAGO – Northwestern scored six times in the first four innings Wednesday, making a complete-game effort in the circle from freshman Morgan Newport stand up for a 6-3 NU win over Loyola (Chicago) at Loyola Softball Park.

Northwestern now is 16-20 on the season, Loyola's record evens up at 18-18.

Northwestern is back in action this weekend in a three-game series at No. 6 Minnesota, beginning with a 6 p.m. CT game Friday, April 14, at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium in Minneapolis. NU is back at home Wednesday, April 19, with a 4 p.m. CT first pitch against DePaul.

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Northwestern wasted little time jumping all over Loyola for a pair of runs. Well, it took a little bit of time because Sabrina Rabin's leadoff walk took eight pitches to draw. Krista Williams followed quickly with an infield single, and an error on the throw sent Rabin to third. Williams immediately swiped second before Panko singled into left field, scoring Rabin easily and also sending Williams home when the outfielder bobbled the ball for the frame's second error.

The Wildcats added another run in the second to make it a 3-0 game. Sammy Nettling singled with one out, then raced all the way around to score on an Alcy Bush line-drive double into the left-centerfield gap.

The Ramblers erased all of that offense with a single swing in the bottom of the second against Wildcats starter Newport. After a pair of leadoff singles, Loyola got a one-out three-run home run, knotting the score 3-3.

NU regained the lead in the fourth in nearly the exact same fashion in which it scored in the second. With one out, Nettling reached base on a walk before racing 180 feet all the way around to the plate on Bush's second double of the contest. The rally did not end there, continuing when Rabin singled Bush to third. A Williams' groundout plated Bush, then Panko cranked a double that one-hopped the outfield fence for a 6-3 Northwestern edge. The Ramblers replaced starting pitcher Kiley Jones with Keenan Dolezal after Panko's double, and the new hurler ended the rally.

From there, Newport and Dolezal kept the opposing offenses at bay. At one point, Newport retired nine Ramblers in a row until a one-out single in the sixth, but she quickly put any thoughts of a comeback at bay.

Newport (6-4) earned her first complete-game win of the season, allowing three runs on six hits with no walks while fanning seven batters.

Bush and Panko each had two hits (combining for three doubles) with Bush drive in two and Panko knocking in three, while Nettling and Rabin each scored twice.