Two Swings Prove The Difference in 6-1 #B1GCats Loss to No. 11 Lady Vols

2/24/2018 7:14:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – Northwestern dueled No. 11 Tennessee in tight fashion Saturday afternoon at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, with just a pair of two-out bases-loaded swings proving to be the difference in a 6-1 Wildcats loss.

Northwestern falls to 6-6 overall on the year, 1-2 on the weekend. Tennessee now is 16-1 on the season following a perfect 6-0 record at the Nutter Classic.

The Wildcats conclude their Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic schedule at 11 a.m. CT/9 a.m. PT tomorrow, Sunday, February 25, against St. John's.

Kenna Wilkey needed just five pitches for a 1-2-3 bottom of the first inning, then retired the Lady Vols side in order once again in the second with the help of catches from Marissa Panko and Lily Novak on lazy line drives in the infield.

Sabrina Rabin recorded the first hit of the game for either team with a two-out single in the third, then stole second base before being stranded there to end the inning. Tennessee rallied itself in the bottom of the third, and it was able to cash in. A one-out double provided the Lady Vols with their first base runner of the game. Later, with two outs, the leadoff batter in the Tennessee order drew a full-count walk before a single brought the game's first run in. With first base open after a wild pitch, NU opted to intentionally walk the bases loaded and the Lady Vols capitalized with a bases-clearing double to make the score 4-0.

Wilkey bounced back with a strong bottom of the fourth, fanning two Lady Vols at the plate. Brooke Marquez picked up Northwestern's second hit of the ballgame in the fifth to no avail, but Wilkey continued to do her part in the circle. She stranded another Lady Vol on base in the fifth with a strikeout.

The Wildcats finally got on the board against Tennessee starter Caylan Arnold in the top of the sixth, courtesy of Rabin's speed. She singled to start the frame and moved to second when Panko nearly beat out an infield single herself. Two-straight passed balls from a new catcher, Scarlet McSwain, who had taken up that position to start the top of the sixth, allowed Rabin to race home and make the score 4-1.

For just the second time in the game, Tennessee got a sustained rally in the sixth, eventually loading the bases with two out once again. This time, it was a two-run single that did the damage and accounted for the final 6-1 score.

Wilkey (2-2) went the distance in taking the loss, allowing six runs on eight hits and three walks with three strikeouts.

Rabin led NU offensively with two hits, a steal and a run.