Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
23-13, 6-5
Purdue
10-27, 3-6
Wildcats Smash Four Homers In 17-8 (6) Run-Rule Win Over Boilers
4/8/2018 3:11:00 PM | Softball
Northwestern now is 23-13 overall on the season, 6-5 in the Big Ten. Purdue is 10-28 on the year, 3-6 in the conference.
Northwestern now returns home April 13-15 to host No. 23 Ohio State at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.
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The Wildcats put together a two-out rally in the top of the first to deliver the first strike in this contest. Morgan Nelson started it with a double down the right-field line before Purdue made the decision to intentionally walk the red-hot Sammy Nettling with first base open. Senior Marissa Panko made the Boilermakers pay for that decision by roping a double to the wall in center that scored both Wildcats on base.
After the double, Lily Novak worked a full-count walk and Kenna Wilkey delivered a huge three-run blast over the wall in left to make it a 5-0 game early. That shot led to a Purdue pitching change with Kaitlynn Moody entering in favor of starter Sydney Bates. Moody ended the inning.
Kenna Wilkey delivers a three-run big blow during a FIVE-run #B1GCats first inning in West Lafayette! Pitching change.
— NorthwesternSoftball (@NUSBcats) April 8, 2018
Northwestern 5, Purdue 0 | T1 pic.twitter.com/YTatFGlEWZ
In the bottom half, the first six Boilermakers to the plate reached against NU starter Morgan Newport, with the sixth hitting a grand slam to suddenly flip the script and put Purdue on top, 6-5. Wilkey entered the circle in relief after the home run, and Purdue was able to scrape across one more run against her before the inning finally came to a close with the Boilermakers up 7-5.
Northwestern made a bid at a response in the top of the second with Sabrina Rabin and Nelson on base, but Nettling's line drive into center was caught with a dive. Then, in the third, the Wildcats did strike back. Panko led off with a walk, Novak singled and Wilkey hit a fielder's choice grounder that erased Panko at third. Newport followed with a single of her own that loaded the bases with one away. Pinch hitter Summer Hargett started the scoring with a walk to force home Novak before Rachel Lewis ripped an RBI groundout to short that tied the game, 7-7. Nelson followed with a two-run single to push the Wildcats back out in front, 9-7.
While Wilkey kept the Boilermakers at bay from the circle, she and the Wildcats poured on the pressure at the plate, having a five-spot on the board in the top of the fifth. Rabin started the rally with a single followed by a Nelson two-run home run – Nelson's second home run of the series, her eighth of the year and the 18th of her career.
Morgan Nelson is having a DAY! Her third hit of the game is a two-run homer and the #B1GCats are up by four!
— NorthwesternSoftball (@NUSBcats) April 8, 2018
Northwestern 11, Purdue 7 | T7 pic.twitter.com/phOb9CCK4Y
At that point, Purdue made its fourth pitching change of the game and the rally continued! Nettling and Panko both walked, prompting Purdue to re-insert its starter Bates into the circle, but one out later Wilkey struck for her second three-run home run of the game, pushing NU out to a 14-7 advantage.
Wilkey's home runs were the fourth and fifth of her career.
KENNA WILKEY STRIKES AGAIN!
— NorthwesternSoftball (@NUSBcats) April 8, 2018
Her second three-run home run of the day!!#B1GCats 14, Purdue 7 | T5 pic.twitter.com/3BNgL4GQ2t
In the top of the sixth, NU put the finishing touches on its offensive masterpiece. With one out, Rabin tripled to left and scored on Nelson's fourth hit of the game, a double to center. Nettling then pummeled a pitch over the wall in left for her second home run in as many days (and the ninth of her career) to make it a 17-7 contest.
SAMMY NETTLING with a home run for the second day in a row! The #B1GCats keep pouring it on!
— NorthwesternSoftball (@NUSBcats) April 8, 2018
NU 17, Purdue 7 | T6 pic.twitter.com/qRdXe9rFNM
Purdue was able to rally for a single run in the bottom of the sixth, but it was not enough to stave off the run rule.
Nelson led NU at the plate with her career-best four hit day, earning a career-high nine total bases on a single, two doubles and a home run. She drove in five and scored three times.
Wilkey had an equally outstanding day, driving in a career-best six and scoring a career-high three times during her two-homer outing.
Elsewhere, Rabin finished with two hits and two runs, Nettling had two RBIs and three runs scored, Panko was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs, and Novak scored twice.
Wilkey (9-4) got the win in relief, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 6.0 innings. Newport gave up six runs on three hits, two walks and an HBP as the starter in the circle.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wilkey, Kenna (9-4)
L: Kaitlynn Moody (7-15)
Batting:
2B: Nelson, Morgan 2 ; Panko, Marissa 1
3B: Rabin, Sabrina 1
HR: Nelson, Morgan 1 ; Nettling, Sammy 1 ; Wilkey, Kenna 2
RBI: Lewis, Rachel 1 ; Nelson, Morgan 5 ; Nettling, Sammy 2 ; Panko, Marissa 2 ; Wilkey, Kenna 6 ; Hargett, Summer 1
SH: Novak, Lily 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rabin, Sabrina 2 ; Nelson, Morgan 3 ; Nettling, Sammy 3 ; Panko, Marissa 2 ; Novak, Lily 2 ; Wilkey, Kenna 3 ; Newport, Morgan 1 ; Dunlap, Mac 1
SB: Panko, Marissa 1
HBP: Nelson, Morgan 1
Batting:
HR: Stephanie Ramsey 1
RBI: Ryleigh Scott 1 ; Alexa Binckes 2 ; Halle Hixenbaugh 1 ; Stephanie Ramsey 4
SH: Stephanie Ramsey 1
SF: Ryleigh Scott 1 ; Alexa Binckes 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mallory Baker 2 ; Ryleigh Scott 1 ; Jenny Behan 1 ; Madison Douglass 1 ; Halle Hixenbaugh 1 ; Stephanie Ramsey 1 ; Morgan Cavinder 1
HBP: Alexa Binckes 1
