Northwestern University Athletics
Sunday, May 13
Madison, Wis.
10 a.m. CT
Northwestern
36-17
6
vs
9
Minnesota
39-15
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 0 |
| Northwestern | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 1 |
Photo by: Tom Lyon/Big Ten Conference
NU Falls In B1G Title Game, Awaits NCAA Selection Show Tonight
5/13/2018 12:30:00 PM | Softball
MADISON, Wis. – In a tournament that started Thursday and was besieged by rain, Northwestern waited until Saturday to throw its first pitch before advancing to a championship game that leaked into Sunday, but it was Minnesota that claimed the Big Ten Tournament title over the Wildcats, 9-6.
Northwestern is 36-17 overall on the season following the championship game while Minnesota is 39-15 after capturing its third-consecutive Big Ten Tournament title and fourth in five years.
NU's now takes its resume into the NCAA Tournament selection show, which will air at 9 p.m. CT tonight on ESPN2.
Minnesota jumped out early to a 4-0 lead with one out in the top of the first inning. Sophomore Morgan Newport quickly entered the circle in relief of NU starter Kenna Wilkey, retiring the first two batters she faced to end the inning.
The Gophers were able to add two more runs in the second inning thanks to a two-out double and a triple, making it a 6-0 deficit for the Wildcats.
Northwestern was able to jump on the board and cut its deficit in half in the bottom of the second. Sammy Nettling led off the inning with a walk and gave way to pinch runner Abbey Boyd. Marissa Panko singled Boyd to second, then Wilkey drove them both in with a booming double into the gap in right center. Wilkey moved to third on a Brooke Marquez groundout, then scored on a Newport sacrifice fly to make it a 6-3 contest.
Minnesota fought back with a two-run home run in the third to extend its lead back out to five, 8-3. In the bottom of the third, Rachel Lewis led off with a booming double before Nettling drew her second walk of the game. That knocked Gophers starter Amber Fiser from the circle in favor of Sydney Smith, who was able to strand both NU runners.
A walk to kick off the fourth led to Nicole Bond taking over in the circle for NU. Two more walks loaded the bases with no outs, and Wilkey re-entered the circle for the 'Cats. She fanned the first batter she faced before a wild pitch allowed one Gopher to score. A force at the plate and a flyout stranded the rest of the inherited runners and left the score at 9-3.
In the bottom of the fifth, Lewis ripped her second base knock of the game before Morgan Nelson followed with a single of her own. Nettling followed with a single into left that sent Lewis around to the plate for a 9-4 score heading into the sixth inning.
The Gophers threatened to score more against Wilkey in the sixth, getting runners to second and third with no outs. Wilkey was able to fight back and strand both to keep the deficit at five runs.
NU chipped away another run in the bottom of the sixth. Lily Novak's second base hit of the game started a two-out rally, which Sabrina Rabin kept going via a single into left. Lewis then poked an RBI single into left that plated Novak to make it a 9-5 contest.
After Wilkey made it three straight scoreless innings for Minnesota in the top of the seventh, Nettling led off the bottom of the seventh with a booming double to left. That led to the Gophers making one final pitching change, bringing Carlie Brandt into the circle. Consecutive groundouts moved Nettling across the plate to make it a 9-6 game. Then, with two outs, Marquez also smoked a double but NU was not able to complete the magic.
Wilkey (18-6) took the loss in the title game. All told in her start and re-entry she threw 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on five hits with five walks and six strikeouts. Newport tossed 2.2 innings of relief, giving up five runs on five hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Bond threw to two batters and was charged with no stats.
Nettling was a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate with two walks, Lewis finished 3-for-4, Wilkey drove in three runs and Novak was 2-for-3 for the Wildcats, who out-hit the Gophers in the game, 12-10. Lewis, Newport and Rabin were named to the All-Tournament team.
Northwestern is 36-17 overall on the season following the championship game while Minnesota is 39-15 after capturing its third-consecutive Big Ten Tournament title and fourth in five years.
NU's now takes its resume into the NCAA Tournament selection show, which will air at 9 p.m. CT tonight on ESPN2.
Minnesota jumped out early to a 4-0 lead with one out in the top of the first inning. Sophomore Morgan Newport quickly entered the circle in relief of NU starter Kenna Wilkey, retiring the first two batters she faced to end the inning.
The Gophers were able to add two more runs in the second inning thanks to a two-out double and a triple, making it a 6-0 deficit for the Wildcats.
Northwestern was able to jump on the board and cut its deficit in half in the bottom of the second. Sammy Nettling led off the inning with a walk and gave way to pinch runner Abbey Boyd. Marissa Panko singled Boyd to second, then Wilkey drove them both in with a booming double into the gap in right center. Wilkey moved to third on a Brooke Marquez groundout, then scored on a Newport sacrifice fly to make it a 6-3 contest.
Minnesota fought back with a two-run home run in the third to extend its lead back out to five, 8-3. In the bottom of the third, Rachel Lewis led off with a booming double before Nettling drew her second walk of the game. That knocked Gophers starter Amber Fiser from the circle in favor of Sydney Smith, who was able to strand both NU runners.
A walk to kick off the fourth led to Nicole Bond taking over in the circle for NU. Two more walks loaded the bases with no outs, and Wilkey re-entered the circle for the 'Cats. She fanned the first batter she faced before a wild pitch allowed one Gopher to score. A force at the plate and a flyout stranded the rest of the inherited runners and left the score at 9-3.
In the bottom of the fifth, Lewis ripped her second base knock of the game before Morgan Nelson followed with a single of her own. Nettling followed with a single into left that sent Lewis around to the plate for a 9-4 score heading into the sixth inning.
The Gophers threatened to score more against Wilkey in the sixth, getting runners to second and third with no outs. Wilkey was able to fight back and strand both to keep the deficit at five runs.
NU chipped away another run in the bottom of the sixth. Lily Novak's second base hit of the game started a two-out rally, which Sabrina Rabin kept going via a single into left. Lewis then poked an RBI single into left that plated Novak to make it a 9-5 contest.
After Wilkey made it three straight scoreless innings for Minnesota in the top of the seventh, Nettling led off the bottom of the seventh with a booming double to left. That led to the Gophers making one final pitching change, bringing Carlie Brandt into the circle. Consecutive groundouts moved Nettling across the plate to make it a 9-6 game. Then, with two outs, Marquez also smoked a double but NU was not able to complete the magic.
Wilkey (18-6) took the loss in the title game. All told in her start and re-entry she threw 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on five hits with five walks and six strikeouts. Newport tossed 2.2 innings of relief, giving up five runs on five hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Bond threw to two batters and was charged with no stats.
Nettling was a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate with two walks, Lewis finished 3-for-4, Wilkey drove in three runs and Novak was 2-for-3 for the Wildcats, who out-hit the Gophers in the game, 12-10. Lewis, Newport and Rabin were named to the All-Tournament team.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sydney Smith (6-4)
L: Wilkey, Kenna (18-6)
Batting:
2B: Kendyl Lindaman 2
3B: Maddie Houlihan 1 ; Dani Wagner 1
HR: Dani Wagner 1 ; Allie Arneson 1
RBI: Kendyl Lindaman 2 ; Maddie Houlihan 1 ; Dani Wagner 2 ; Allie Arneson 2
Base Running:
RUNS: MaKenna Partain 2 ; Kendyl Lindaman 2 ; Maddie Houlihan 1 ; Dani Wagner 2 ; Allie Arneson 1 ; Ellee Jensen 1
SB: Kendyl Lindaman 1 ; Maddie Houlihan 1
Batting:
2B: Lewis, Rachel 1 ; Nettling, Sammy 1 ; Wilkey, Kenna 1 ; Marquez, Brooke 1
RBI: Lewis, Rachel 1 ; Nettling, Sammy 1 ; Wilkey, Kenna 3 ; Newport, Morgan 1
SF: Newport, Morgan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lewis, Rachel 1 ; Nettling, Sammy 1 ; Boyd, Abbey 1 ; Panko, Marissa 1 ; Wilkey, Kenna 1 ; Novak, Lily 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballIF/OF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF/C
/ SoftballC
/ Softball
P/U
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
IF/OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
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Friday, April 10
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