Northwestern University Athletics
Sunday, April 23
Evanston, Ill.
Noon CT
Northwestern
20-23, 6-9
6
vs
3
Purdue
17-32, 6-11
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Purdue
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
3
8
3
Northwestern
3
1
1
0
0
1
X
6
7
1
Northwestern Completes Sweep of Purdue on Senior Day, 6-3
4/23/2017 2:40:00 PM | Softball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern completed a sweep of Purdue in front of a large and rowdy crowd Sunday at Sharon J. Drysdale Field, earning a 6-3 victory in the series finale.
Northwestern now is 20-23 on the season, 6-9 in the B1G. Purdue falls to 17-32 with its loss, 6-11 B1G.
The Wildcats remain at home Tuesday, April 25, for a 4 p.m. CT showdown with Notre Dame. The game will be broadcast LIVE on BTN, but the real party will be at The J: A pair of Beats in-ear headphones will be given away to one lucky Northwestern student.
BUY NORTHWESTERN SOFTBALL TICKETS TODAY!
This game was high-scoring at the start. In the top of the first, Purdue plated a pair of runs against Northwestern starter Kenzie Ellis, and head coach Kate Drohan wasted little time deploying Morgan Newport in relief with two outs and two on. Newport was able to get a full-count swinging strikeout to strand both of her inherited runners and keep the NU deficit at two runs.
The Wildcats battled back immediately, starting with one-out singles for Krista Williams and Marissa Panko. With two outs, Morgan Nelson drew a walk to load the bases and set the stage for a Brooke Marquez single into right that ended up clearing the bags and pushing NU out in front, 3-2.
In the second, Sammy Nettling led off for NU with an infield single. With two outs, she raced around to third on Williams' second single of the contest before scoring on a wild pitch, making it a 4-2 game.
The first two Boilers to the plate in the third inning reached base against Newport. The first-year hurler helped herself out in a big way, reacting quickly to a dying blurp hit in front of her, laying out and making a diving catch. That play effectively collapsed the rally.
Back-to-back walks to Anna Petersen and Nelson started the bottom of the third, and led Purdue to replace starter Kaitlynn Moody with Katie Johnson. Marquez sacrificed both up a bag, and Kenzie Ellis put a grounder in play that plated Petersen for a 5-2 NU advantage.
In the top of the fourth with two outs and a runner on base, the batter hit a pure Texas-leaguer behind the second base bag that seemed to be out of reach for everyone. Cue Marquez, who with super hero cape fluttering in the breeze flew through the air to make an incredible over-the-shoulder diving catch to preserve a run.
Purdue did get a run in the top of the fifth with a two-out solo home run, but the Wildcats got it back in the bottom of the sixth courtesy of one Sabrina Rabin. She singled, stole second, and then scored when the throw to second skipped to center for an error, and the centerfielder skipped her throw by third base for another error, accounting for the final 6-3 score.
Newport (7-4) got the win in relief, going 6.1 innings and allowing one run on five hits and one walk with four strikeouts. Ellis tossed the first two-thirds of an inning, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk.
Both Williams and Panko had two hits for NU at the plate while Marquez drove in two.
Northwestern now is 20-23 on the season, 6-9 in the B1G. Purdue falls to 17-32 with its loss, 6-11 B1G.
The Wildcats remain at home Tuesday, April 25, for a 4 p.m. CT showdown with Notre Dame. The game will be broadcast LIVE on BTN, but the real party will be at The J: A pair of Beats in-ear headphones will be given away to one lucky Northwestern student.
BUY NORTHWESTERN SOFTBALL TICKETS TODAY!
This game was high-scoring at the start. In the top of the first, Purdue plated a pair of runs against Northwestern starter Kenzie Ellis, and head coach Kate Drohan wasted little time deploying Morgan Newport in relief with two outs and two on. Newport was able to get a full-count swinging strikeout to strand both of her inherited runners and keep the NU deficit at two runs.
The Wildcats battled back immediately, starting with one-out singles for Krista Williams and Marissa Panko. With two outs, Morgan Nelson drew a walk to load the bases and set the stage for a Brooke Marquez single into right that ended up clearing the bags and pushing NU out in front, 3-2.
In the second, Sammy Nettling led off for NU with an infield single. With two outs, she raced around to third on Williams' second single of the contest before scoring on a wild pitch, making it a 4-2 game.
The first two Boilers to the plate in the third inning reached base against Newport. The first-year hurler helped herself out in a big way, reacting quickly to a dying blurp hit in front of her, laying out and making a diving catch. That play effectively collapsed the rally.
.@MorganNewport18 helps herself out with a tremendous diving catch from the circle. #B1GCATS #BTNStandout https://t.co/xkjq0wuRKd
— NorthwesternSoftball (@NUSBcats) April 23, 2017
Back-to-back walks to Anna Petersen and Nelson started the bottom of the third, and led Purdue to replace starter Kaitlynn Moody with Katie Johnson. Marquez sacrificed both up a bag, and Kenzie Ellis put a grounder in play that plated Petersen for a 5-2 NU advantage.
In the top of the fourth with two outs and a runner on base, the batter hit a pure Texas-leaguer behind the second base bag that seemed to be out of reach for everyone. Cue Marquez, who with super hero cape fluttering in the breeze flew through the air to make an incredible over-the-shoulder diving catch to preserve a run.
Brooke Marquez saves a run in the 4th with this incredible catch! #B1GCATS #BTNStandout https://t.co/eSiyKdxFmZ
— NorthwesternSoftball (@NUSBcats) April 23, 2017
Purdue did get a run in the top of the fifth with a two-out solo home run, but the Wildcats got it back in the bottom of the sixth courtesy of one Sabrina Rabin. She singled, stole second, and then scored when the throw to second skipped to center for an error, and the centerfielder skipped her throw by third base for another error, accounting for the final 6-3 score.
Newport (7-4) got the win in relief, going 6.1 innings and allowing one run on five hits and one walk with four strikeouts. Ellis tossed the first two-thirds of an inning, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk.
Both Williams and Panko had two hits for NU at the plate while Marquez drove in two.
••••••
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: Newport, Morgan (7-4)
L: Kaitlynn Moody (7-13)
Batting:
2B: Kristen Hoppman 1 ; Lexi Valone 1
HR: Lexi Huffman 1
RBI: Alexa Binckes 1 ; Lexi Huffman 2
SH: Sam Peltz 1
SF: Alexa Binckes 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kristen Hoppman 1 ; Mallory Baker 1 ; Lexi Huffman 1
SB: Kristen Hoppman 1 ; Mallory Baker 1
Batting:
RBI: Marquez, Brooke 2 ; Ellis, Kenzie 1
SH: Marquez, Brooke 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rabin, Sabrina 1 ; Williams, Krista 1 ; Panko, Marissa 1 ; Petersen, Anna 1 ; Nelson, Morgan 1 ; Nettling, Sammy 1
SB: Rabin, Sabrina 1 ; Bartz, Emma 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
P
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
IF/C
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
P/U
/ SoftballIF/OF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballSoftball - Lauren Boyd Tosses Complete Game Shutout, 'Cats Blank Kentucky in NCAA Regional (5/16/25)
Friday, May 16
Softball - 'Cats Storm Back, Secure Series Victory at No. 8 UCLA (5/4/25)
Sunday, May 04
Softball - 'Cats Earn 8-0 Run-Rule Win at No. 8 UCLA (5/2/25)
Saturday, May 03
Softball - Kaylie Avvisato Hits Walk-Off Home Run, 'Cats Take Series vs. Wisconsin (4/27/25)
Sunday, April 27
