Saturday, March 24
Evanston, Ill.
2 p.m. CT
Northwestern
11
vs
10
Minnesota
Photo by: Stephen J. Carrera
Instant Classic: #B1GCats Battle Back, Beat Gophers 11-10 (8)
3/24/2018 6:26:00 PM | Softball
EVANSTON, Ill. – In a game for the absolute ages, Northwestern erased deficits in both the seventh and eighth innings Saturday to top Minnesota at Sharon J. Drysdale Field, 11-10 (8).
Northwestern's active winning streak now is now 10 games, its longest since winning 12 in a row during the 2009 season. The Wildcats are 19-8 overall in 2018 and 2-0 in the Big Ten. Minnesota falls to 17-13 on the year with its loss, 0-2 in the conference.
The Wildcats and Gophers meet at noon CT tomorrow, Sunday, March 25, in the final game of this series at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.
BUY YOUR NORTHWESTERN TICKETS AND SEASON PASSES HERE!
Northwestern came back from an early 3-0 hole, then found itself down by five runs, 8-3, after the top of the fourth. The Wildcats whittled away at the deficit but – for the second-straight game -- needed two runs in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extras. Northwestern plated those runs only to see Minnesota go on top 10-9 in the top of the eighth, but the Wildcats had one final rally in them for a walk-off 11-10 victory.
In Friday's series opener, Northwestern trailed Minnesota, 2-0, heading into bottom of the seventh where the Wildcats scored three times to walk off with a 3-2 victory.
The start of Saturday's game was delayed one hour and one minute by atmospheric conditions, but Minnesota waited just four pitches before finding the scoreboard once the game did begin, sending a solo home run to center off Northwestern starter Kenna Wilkey. In the top of the second, a two-out rally plated two more runs for the Gophers when NU committed a fielding miscue.
With the Wildcats suddenly trailing by three runs early, Northwestern needed just three batters in the bottom of the second to tie the game right back up. Morgan Nelson drew a full-count walk to start the rally, then moved around to third on a Lily Novak double. Brooke Marquez followed with a massive drive to left-center that left the park in a hurry to knot the score, 3-3.
Marquez's home run was her second of the season and her second in NU's last three games. She has six round-trippers in her career.
After the home run, Minnesota replaced its game two (and game one) starter Amber Fiser with Sydney Smith. Sammy Nettling walked, Kenna Wilkey reached on an error and Sabrina Rabin singled for the second time in the contest to load the bases with one out, but Smith was able to escape with the contest still tied.
In the fourth, the Gophers answered the Wildcats' three-run home run with one of their own, then tacked on a later two-run blast in the inning to secure an 8-3 lead in the game.
In the bottom half, Northwestern battled back again. With one out, Morgan Newport doubled then was safe ahead of the throw to third on a Wilkey fielder's choice grounder. After Rabin's third hit of the game loaded the bases, Marissa Panko sent a soft fly into right that fell in to bring Newport home, though Minnesota was able to get a force out at second on the play. That out proved to be huge, because Rachel Lewis absolutely pummeled a pitch over the fence in center for a three-run blast, bringing NU all the way back within a run, 8-7.
Senior Nicole Bond entered the circle in relief of Wilkey in the top of the fifth, shaking off a one-out double to hold the Gophers scoreless in the frame. Minnesota did convert back-to-back two-out doubles in the top of the sixth, though, to add another run and make it a 9-7 game.
In the bottom of the sixth, Rabin led off with a single for a career-best four-hit game, then moved to second when Panko singled. With Lewis at the plate, the first pitch got by the catcher for a passed ball, and both Rabin and Panko raced into scoring position. Somehow, someway, though, Minnesota was able to keep both Wildcats stranded on base when the inning ended.
After Bond chucked a scoreless seventh, Marquez led off the bottom half by reaching on an error and ending up at second base. Nettling then sent a seeing-eye single through the left side of the infield that resulted in a single, and though Marquez was unable to move up on the hit, she did score one batter later when Newport singled off the line in left field. Pinch runner Emma Bartz entered for Nettling at second base, and both she and Newport moved up on a Wilkey sacrifice bunt.
Rabin then put a ball in play to first, and the throw to the plate was not in time to get Bartz, who scored the tying run. The Wildcats got aggressive on the base paths and the Gophers were ready, trapping the winning run in a rundown to help send the contest to extras.
Minnesota took the lead back with a leadoff solo home run in the top of the eighth, and Northwestern was ready. Lewis stepped up to the plate in the bottom half of the inning and sent a soaring solo shot out of the park to left to once again knot the score, 10-10.
Lewis' first-career two homer game gives her eight home runs on the season.
Later in the eighth, with one out, Novak nearly ended the game with a walk-off home run, hitting a deep blast to dead center that died and glanced off the top of the fence and back into the park for a double. Marquez walked, then was forced out at second on a Nettling grounder that pushed Novak to third with two outs. At that point, Minnesota re-entered its starting pitcher Fiser, and Newport blasted a single into left-center that ended the game.
Wilkey allowed eight runs (six earned) on seven hits and three walks with five strikeouts in 4.0 innings of action. Bond went 3.0 innings of relief and was charged with a single run on four hits and a walk with three Ks. Newport (9-2) got the win in relief, tossing one inning and giving up one run on one hit with a strikeout.
Rabin recorded the fourth four-hit game of her career in the contest, extending her current hitting streak to 10 games and giving her 235 base hits in her career to move her past Katie Logan (2004-07) for fourth on NU's all-time list.
Lewis had four RBIs on her two home runs, Novak had two hits and scored twice, Marquez finished 1-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs, and Newport ended up 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run.
Northwestern's active winning streak now is now 10 games, its longest since winning 12 in a row during the 2009 season. The Wildcats are 19-8 overall in 2018 and 2-0 in the Big Ten. Minnesota falls to 17-13 on the year with its loss, 0-2 in the conference.
The Wildcats and Gophers meet at noon CT tomorrow, Sunday, March 25, in the final game of this series at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.
BUY YOUR NORTHWESTERN TICKETS AND SEASON PASSES HERE!
Northwestern came back from an early 3-0 hole, then found itself down by five runs, 8-3, after the top of the fourth. The Wildcats whittled away at the deficit but – for the second-straight game -- needed two runs in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extras. Northwestern plated those runs only to see Minnesota go on top 10-9 in the top of the eighth, but the Wildcats had one final rally in them for a walk-off 11-10 victory.
Two Big Ten games, two B1G walk-off singles!
— NorthwesternSoftball (@NUSBcats) March 25, 2018
Watch the final play from Saturday's epic 11-10 (8) #B1GCats win over Minnesota!
??» https://t.co/N8o9wX1xmu pic.twitter.com/GeCz4Y5E3c
In Friday's series opener, Northwestern trailed Minnesota, 2-0, heading into bottom of the seventh where the Wildcats scored three times to walk off with a 3-2 victory.
The start of Saturday's game was delayed one hour and one minute by atmospheric conditions, but Minnesota waited just four pitches before finding the scoreboard once the game did begin, sending a solo home run to center off Northwestern starter Kenna Wilkey. In the top of the second, a two-out rally plated two more runs for the Gophers when NU committed a fielding miscue.
With the Wildcats suddenly trailing by three runs early, Northwestern needed just three batters in the bottom of the second to tie the game right back up. Morgan Nelson drew a full-count walk to start the rally, then moved around to third on a Lily Novak double. Brooke Marquez followed with a massive drive to left-center that left the park in a hurry to knot the score, 3-3.
Marquez's home run was her second of the season and her second in NU's last three games. She has six round-trippers in her career.
After the home run, Minnesota replaced its game two (and game one) starter Amber Fiser with Sydney Smith. Sammy Nettling walked, Kenna Wilkey reached on an error and Sabrina Rabin singled for the second time in the contest to load the bases with one out, but Smith was able to escape with the contest still tied.
In the fourth, the Gophers answered the Wildcats' three-run home run with one of their own, then tacked on a later two-run blast in the inning to secure an 8-3 lead in the game.
In the bottom half, Northwestern battled back again. With one out, Morgan Newport doubled then was safe ahead of the throw to third on a Wilkey fielder's choice grounder. After Rabin's third hit of the game loaded the bases, Marissa Panko sent a soft fly into right that fell in to bring Newport home, though Minnesota was able to get a force out at second on the play. That out proved to be huge, because Rachel Lewis absolutely pummeled a pitch over the fence in center for a three-run blast, bringing NU all the way back within a run, 8-7.
Senior Nicole Bond entered the circle in relief of Wilkey in the top of the fifth, shaking off a one-out double to hold the Gophers scoreless in the frame. Minnesota did convert back-to-back two-out doubles in the top of the sixth, though, to add another run and make it a 9-7 game.
In the bottom of the sixth, Rabin led off with a single for a career-best four-hit game, then moved to second when Panko singled. With Lewis at the plate, the first pitch got by the catcher for a passed ball, and both Rabin and Panko raced into scoring position. Somehow, someway, though, Minnesota was able to keep both Wildcats stranded on base when the inning ended.
After Bond chucked a scoreless seventh, Marquez led off the bottom half by reaching on an error and ending up at second base. Nettling then sent a seeing-eye single through the left side of the infield that resulted in a single, and though Marquez was unable to move up on the hit, she did score one batter later when Newport singled off the line in left field. Pinch runner Emma Bartz entered for Nettling at second base, and both she and Newport moved up on a Wilkey sacrifice bunt.
Rabin then put a ball in play to first, and the throw to the plate was not in time to get Bartz, who scored the tying run. The Wildcats got aggressive on the base paths and the Gophers were ready, trapping the winning run in a rundown to help send the contest to extras.
Minnesota took the lead back with a leadoff solo home run in the top of the eighth, and Northwestern was ready. Lewis stepped up to the plate in the bottom half of the inning and sent a soaring solo shot out of the park to left to once again knot the score, 10-10.
Lewis' first-career two homer game gives her eight home runs on the season.
Later in the eighth, with one out, Novak nearly ended the game with a walk-off home run, hitting a deep blast to dead center that died and glanced off the top of the fence and back into the park for a double. Marquez walked, then was forced out at second on a Nettling grounder that pushed Novak to third with two outs. At that point, Minnesota re-entered its starting pitcher Fiser, and Newport blasted a single into left-center that ended the game.
Wilkey allowed eight runs (six earned) on seven hits and three walks with five strikeouts in 4.0 innings of action. Bond went 3.0 innings of relief and was charged with a single run on four hits and a walk with three Ks. Newport (9-2) got the win in relief, tossing one inning and giving up one run on one hit with a strikeout.
Rabin recorded the fourth four-hit game of her career in the contest, extending her current hitting streak to 10 games and giving her 235 base hits in her career to move her past Katie Logan (2004-07) for fourth on NU's all-time list.
Lewis had four RBIs on her two home runs, Novak had two hits and scored twice, Marquez finished 1-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs, and Newport ended up 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run.
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Players Mentioned
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