Friday, February 9
Tempe, Ariz.
8:30 p.m. CT/7:30 p.m. MT
Northwestern
1-1
7
vs
6
San Diego State
1-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
R
H
E
Northwestern
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
7
5
3
San Diego State
0
0
1
4
0
0
0
1
6
7
2
Northwestern Beats Back San Diego State For Opening Night Win, 7-6 (8)
2/10/2018 12:14:00 AM | Softball
TEMPE, Ariz. – Northwestern jumped all over San Diego State Friday night at the Kajikawa Classic only to see the Aztecs storm back, but the Wildcats withstood another late rally in extra-innings to earn a 7-6 (8) victory on Opening Night of the 2018 season.
NU improves to 1-1 with its win while San Diego State now is 1-3 on the season.
Northwestern is back in action with a Kajikawa Classic doubleheader tomorrow, Saturday, February 10. NU first faces Boise State at 12:45 p.m. CT/11:45 a.m. MT before taking on Indiana in a non-conference game immediately after at 3 p.m. CT/2 p.m. MT.
Northwestern got off to an incredible start in this game, plating FIVE runs in the top of the first. Marissa Panko started the rally with an infield single before Rachel Lewis and Morgan Nelson both walked to load the bases. Sammy Nettling drove in the game's first run with an RBI groundout, then Lily Novak beat-out an infield single that scored Lewis to make it 2-0.
First-year pitcher Kenna Wilkey, making the start in the game, then stepped to the plate for her first-career at-bat…and she uncorked a smoking line drive to right center that cleared the temporary barrier for a three-run home run and a heckuva introduction to college softball.
The last Northwestern Wildcat to hit a home run in her first-collegiate at-bat was Anna Petersen in 2014 against Boise State – and the homer happened on the same exact Tempe Sports Complex Field 3 where Wilkey's bomb came five years later on Friday night.
The offense threatened to keep pressing in the second when Mac Dunlap led off with a booming double, knocking San Diego State starter Marissa Moreno from the circle in favor of Alex Formby. The new hurler did not let Dunlap get past third, however.
Meanwhile, in the circle, Wilkey enjoyed throwing with the five-run lead she had a huge hand in creating. The first two Aztecs to the plate in the first reached, but she did not allow any runs. Wilkey then struck out the side in the second and the third, though San Diego State was able to claw a run out of the third frame before succumbing to make it a 5-1 contest.
In the bottom of the fourth, San Diego State flexed the offensive muscle that earned the program the NCAA team batting title in 2017. The Aztecs scored one run against Wilkey before loading the bases with one out. Though Wilkey notched her eighth strikeout of the game, the next batter cleared the bags and tied the game with a double, making it 5-5.
After a walk put two Aztecs aboard, Nicole Bond entered in relief of Wilkey, getting a flyout to left to strand both runners.
Panko reached base via a one-out walk in the top of the fifth to give Northwestern its first base runner against the Aztec reliever Formby. Panko swiped second for the second time in the game, but ended the inning there.
San Diego State continued to threaten in the later innings, eventually loading the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Kaley Winegarner entered to face SDSU's best batter in the situation, and coaxed a weak ground ball to third. The ball, however, took a hellacious hop and Dunlap had to wheel and throw her glove up over her left shoulder to try and grab it. After an initial bobble, Dunlap secured the ball and leapt to tag the runner heading to third – her only option at that point in the play – and somehow made contact to send the game into extra innings.
With international tiebreak play in effect, Panko began the eighth at second base. Lewis hit a grounder and the throw to first went wide for an error, allowing Panko to get to third. Lewis then stole second, and one out later, Nettling put a ball in play to the pitcher. The pitcher tossed home not in time AND the throw got away from the catcher, allowing both Panko and Lewis to score and give the Wildcats a 7-5 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth, the first Aztec to the plate popped out to Lewis at second before the next hit a grounder on the infield. The ball got through NU's defense for an error, allowing the ITB runner at second to score and make it a 7-6 game. The next batter also hit a ground ball that was mishandled for an error, putting runners at first and second.
A drive into center fell just in front of Sabrina Rabin, but the senior was able to glove it, get up and throw in time to get a force out at second and keep the tying run at third. Winegarner then notched a strikeout to end the game.
Wilkey got a no-decision in her first-career start, going 3.2 innings and striking out eight batters while surrendering five runs on five hits with four walks. Bond went 3.0 innings of scoreless relief, giving up two hits and three walks with a strikeout. Winegarner (1-1-) got the win in relief, tossing 1.1 frames with a team unearned run and a strikeout.
Novak had a pair of hits for Northwestern at the plate, Wilkey drove in three, Nettling knocked in two and both Panko and Lewis scored twice in the contest.
NU improves to 1-1 with its win while San Diego State now is 1-3 on the season.
Northwestern is back in action with a Kajikawa Classic doubleheader tomorrow, Saturday, February 10. NU first faces Boise State at 12:45 p.m. CT/11:45 a.m. MT before taking on Indiana in a non-conference game immediately after at 3 p.m. CT/2 p.m. MT.
Northwestern got off to an incredible start in this game, plating FIVE runs in the top of the first. Marissa Panko started the rally with an infield single before Rachel Lewis and Morgan Nelson both walked to load the bases. Sammy Nettling drove in the game's first run with an RBI groundout, then Lily Novak beat-out an infield single that scored Lewis to make it 2-0.
First-year pitcher Kenna Wilkey, making the start in the game, then stepped to the plate for her first-career at-bat…and she uncorked a smoking line drive to right center that cleared the temporary barrier for a three-run home run and a heckuva introduction to college softball.
The last Northwestern Wildcat to hit a home run in her first-collegiate at-bat was Anna Petersen in 2014 against Boise State – and the homer happened on the same exact Tempe Sports Complex Field 3 where Wilkey's bomb came five years later on Friday night.
The offense threatened to keep pressing in the second when Mac Dunlap led off with a booming double, knocking San Diego State starter Marissa Moreno from the circle in favor of Alex Formby. The new hurler did not let Dunlap get past third, however.
Meanwhile, in the circle, Wilkey enjoyed throwing with the five-run lead she had a huge hand in creating. The first two Aztecs to the plate in the first reached, but she did not allow any runs. Wilkey then struck out the side in the second and the third, though San Diego State was able to claw a run out of the third frame before succumbing to make it a 5-1 contest.
In the bottom of the fourth, San Diego State flexed the offensive muscle that earned the program the NCAA team batting title in 2017. The Aztecs scored one run against Wilkey before loading the bases with one out. Though Wilkey notched her eighth strikeout of the game, the next batter cleared the bags and tied the game with a double, making it 5-5.
After a walk put two Aztecs aboard, Nicole Bond entered in relief of Wilkey, getting a flyout to left to strand both runners.
Panko reached base via a one-out walk in the top of the fifth to give Northwestern its first base runner against the Aztec reliever Formby. Panko swiped second for the second time in the game, but ended the inning there.
San Diego State continued to threaten in the later innings, eventually loading the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Kaley Winegarner entered to face SDSU's best batter in the situation, and coaxed a weak ground ball to third. The ball, however, took a hellacious hop and Dunlap had to wheel and throw her glove up over her left shoulder to try and grab it. After an initial bobble, Dunlap secured the ball and leapt to tag the runner heading to third – her only option at that point in the play – and somehow made contact to send the game into extra innings.
With international tiebreak play in effect, Panko began the eighth at second base. Lewis hit a grounder and the throw to first went wide for an error, allowing Panko to get to third. Lewis then stole second, and one out later, Nettling put a ball in play to the pitcher. The pitcher tossed home not in time AND the throw got away from the catcher, allowing both Panko and Lewis to score and give the Wildcats a 7-5 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth, the first Aztec to the plate popped out to Lewis at second before the next hit a grounder on the infield. The ball got through NU's defense for an error, allowing the ITB runner at second to score and make it a 7-6 game. The next batter also hit a ground ball that was mishandled for an error, putting runners at first and second.
A drive into center fell just in front of Sabrina Rabin, but the senior was able to glove it, get up and throw in time to get a force out at second and keep the tying run at third. Winegarner then notched a strikeout to end the game.
Wilkey got a no-decision in her first-career start, going 3.2 innings and striking out eight batters while surrendering five runs on five hits with four walks. Bond went 3.0 innings of scoreless relief, giving up two hits and three walks with a strikeout. Winegarner (1-1-) got the win in relief, tossing 1.1 frames with a team unearned run and a strikeout.
Novak had a pair of hits for Northwestern at the plate, Wilkey drove in three, Nettling knocked in two and both Panko and Lewis scored twice in the contest.
••••••
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Winegarner, Kaley (1-1)
L: FORMBY, Alex (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Novak, Lily 1 ; Dunlap, Mac 1
HR: Wilkey, Kenna 1
RBI: Nettling, Sammy 2 ; Novak, Lily 1 ; Wilkey, Kenna 3
SH: Novak, Lily 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Panko, Marissa 2 ; Lewis, Rachel 2 ; Nettling, Sammy 1 ; Novak, Lily 1 ; Wilkey, Kenna 1
SB: Panko, Marissa 2 ; Lewis, Rachel 1
HBP: Nettling, Sammy 1
Batting:
2B: BYRD, Katie 1 ; MUNOZ, Kelsey 1
RBI: BYRD, Katie 3 ; STURDIVANT, Molly 1 ; MESHACK, Zaria 1
SH: MESHACK, Zaria 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BYRD, Katie 1 ; METCALFE, Aris 1 ; MUNOZ, Kelsey 1 ; MESHACK, Zaria 2 ; FICK, Jordyn 1
SB: MESHACK, Zaria 1
HBP: THOMPSON, Shelby 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
p/dp
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
IF/OF
/ Softball
IF/C
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballIF
/ SoftballIF/OF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballP
/ Softball
P
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