No. 1 Washington Thwarts Northwestern, 8-2

3/2/2018 10:30:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

SEATTLE – No. 1 Washington turned away rally after rally from Northwestern Friday night at the Husky Classic before pulling away late for an 8-2 win over the Wildcats.

Northwestern moved to 8-7 overall on the season with its loss, 1-1 in the Husky Classic. Washington matched its best start in program history at 20-0. Both teams won earlier Friday, with NU blanking Portland State, 6-0, and UW run-ruling No. 11 Alabama, 8-0 (5).

Northwestern plays a doubleheader tomorrow, Saturday, March 3, beginning at noon CT/10 a.m. PT against Portland State before facing BYU immediately thereafter.

Washington and Northwestern were nearly equal in the game in hits (7-6) and walks (5-4), but NU committed three errors, stranded 11 on base and twice left the bases loaded to make the scoring margin larger than the game was otherwise.

The Wildcats struck first in the top of the first. With one out, Marissa Panko lined a single back through the middle before stealing second base. Morgan Nelson then lined a double into the right-center gap to stake Northwestern to the quick 1-0 lead.

Washington did not find the scoreboard until the bottom of the second when the Huskies took advantage of a walk and a Wildcats error with their first hit of the ballgame against NU starter Morgan Newport: a three-run home run that put Washington on top, 3-1.

Northwestern attempted a two-out answering rally in the next half inning, loading the bases with two outs on a Panko single, a Rachel Lewis single and a Nelson walk. Washington escaped, however, with a full-count pop-up to the shortstop.

Washington extended its lead with a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the third, and again Northwestern mounted a response. Brooke Marquez led off the fourth with a single and Sammy Nettling drew a walk behind her. After Newport grounded into a fielder's choice play that moved Marquez to third but eliminated Nettling at second, Washington elected to bring its ace Taran Alvelo into the circle. She put down the NU threat to keep the Huskies in the lead, 4-1.

UW used two more base hits and an error for another run in the fourth, with Kenna Wilkey taking over in relief of Newport after the run came in. Wilkey was able to keep Northwestern's deficit at four runs, 5-1.

Northwestern mounted yet another rally in the sixth, this time against the ace Alvelo, who hit Lily Novak with a pitch to start the frame. Marquez followed with a walk before Nettling slammed a single into center to load the bases with one out. Mac Dunlap followed with a four-pitch walk that forced home Novak to make it a 5-2 game, but Alvelo was able to bounce back for two Ks to strand the tying runs on base.

In the bottom of the sixth, a couple of Wildcats errors contributed to three more runs for the Huskies, putting the game out of reach.

Northwestern had one rally left in it in the top of the seventh, and it started courtesy of a 647-pitch walk issued to Nelson, who at one point fouled off nine-straight pitches in the at-bat. With two outs, Marquez was hit by a pitch. Both of those runners ended the game on base.

Newport (3-2) took the loss in the game, allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits and four walks with a strikeout in three-plus innings as the starter. Wilkey threw the next three frames, allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits and a walk with a strikeout.

Panko led NU at the plate with a pair of hits.