Northwestern University Athletics
Friday, April 26
East Lansing, Mich.
5 p.m. CT/6 p.m. ET
Northwestern
39-7, 0
10
at
4
Michigan State
15-30, 0
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3
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5
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7
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H
E
Northwestern
0
1
0
9
0
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10
9
1
Michigan State
0
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1
2
0
0
1
4
8
3
No. 14 Wildcats Hang Ten on Spartans in Game One Win
4/26/2019 8:51:00 PM | Softball
EAST LANSING, Mich. – No. 14 Northwestern continued its winning ways on the road with a 10-4 victory over Michigan State in game one of the series on Friday evening.
The Wildcats have now won 17 games in a row and own a perfect 18-0 record through Big Ten play. They improved their overall record to 39-7 while dropping the Spartans to 15-30. The 'Cats retained their half-game lead over Michigan at the top of the conference standings.
Sophomore Kenna Wilkey battled her way to a win in the circle behind a career-high 13 strikeouts in seven innings. She boosted her record to 10-2 on the season.
First year Maeve Nelson and senior Lily Novak led the way for the 'Cats offense, which hung up its fifth 10-run outburst of the season. Nelson went 3-5 with an RBI and a run while Novak landed one hit for three RBI along with two runs scored.
Wilkey also helped herself with a strong performance at the plate, going 2-4 with a two-run home run, her first of the season.
Sophomore Rachel Lewis reached base in all five of her plate appearances, going 1-1 with an RBI double along with four walks, two of them intentional. Lewis has been performing the lead-off role excellently in Big Ten play, with a .563 on-base percentage through 18 games.
Nikki Curchran, Morgan Newport and Skyler Shellmyer each picked up an RBI in the win, with Cuchran and Shellmyer both adding a single as well.
The Wildcats jumped out to an early lead in the top of the second inning thanks to a two-out rally. Novak jump started the rally with a walk, followed by a single from Wilkey. Shellmyer used her speed to capitalize on an error by Michigan State and beat out an ground ball. Novak made the Spartans pay with some heads up baserunning and scored from second on the play to make it 1-0.
Michigan State tied the score in the third, but the Wildcats exploded for nine in the fourth. Shellmyer started the procession around the bases with a single, and after walks from Lewis and Morgan Nelson, Maeve Nelson knocked in a run with a single up the middle.
Cuchran brought home Lewis the next-at bat with a single up the middle to take a 3-1 lead.
The Spartans intentionally walked Jordyn Rudd to load the bases with two outs, but Newport came through to work a walk and score Maeve Nelson.
After a pitching change, Lily Novak cleared the loaded bases with a triple she dropped down the right field line, increasing the lead to 7-1. Wilkey crushed a ball to left center shortly after for a two-run home run to make it 9-1.
In her second at-bat of the inning, Shellmyer walked, and Rachel Lewis later scored her with double to center to cap the furious rally at 10-1. The Widlcats saw the rest of the game out comfortably behind Wilkey to secure the win.
The #B1GCats are back in action in game two of the series tomorrow, with first pitch set for noon CT.
The Wildcats have now won 17 games in a row and own a perfect 18-0 record through Big Ten play. They improved their overall record to 39-7 while dropping the Spartans to 15-30. The 'Cats retained their half-game lead over Michigan at the top of the conference standings.
Sophomore Kenna Wilkey battled her way to a win in the circle behind a career-high 13 strikeouts in seven innings. She boosted her record to 10-2 on the season.
First year Maeve Nelson and senior Lily Novak led the way for the 'Cats offense, which hung up its fifth 10-run outburst of the season. Nelson went 3-5 with an RBI and a run while Novak landed one hit for three RBI along with two runs scored.
Wilkey also helped herself with a strong performance at the plate, going 2-4 with a two-run home run, her first of the season.
Sophomore Rachel Lewis reached base in all five of her plate appearances, going 1-1 with an RBI double along with four walks, two of them intentional. Lewis has been performing the lead-off role excellently in Big Ten play, with a .563 on-base percentage through 18 games.
Nikki Curchran, Morgan Newport and Skyler Shellmyer each picked up an RBI in the win, with Cuchran and Shellmyer both adding a single as well.
The Wildcats jumped out to an early lead in the top of the second inning thanks to a two-out rally. Novak jump started the rally with a walk, followed by a single from Wilkey. Shellmyer used her speed to capitalize on an error by Michigan State and beat out an ground ball. Novak made the Spartans pay with some heads up baserunning and scored from second on the play to make it 1-0.
Michigan State tied the score in the third, but the Wildcats exploded for nine in the fourth. Shellmyer started the procession around the bases with a single, and after walks from Lewis and Morgan Nelson, Maeve Nelson knocked in a run with a single up the middle.
Cuchran brought home Lewis the next-at bat with a single up the middle to take a 3-1 lead.
The Spartans intentionally walked Jordyn Rudd to load the bases with two outs, but Newport came through to work a walk and score Maeve Nelson.
After a pitching change, Lily Novak cleared the loaded bases with a triple she dropped down the right field line, increasing the lead to 7-1. Wilkey crushed a ball to left center shortly after for a two-run home run to make it 9-1.
In her second at-bat of the inning, Shellmyer walked, and Rachel Lewis later scored her with double to center to cap the furious rally at 10-1. The Widlcats saw the rest of the game out comfortably behind Wilkey to secure the win.
The #B1GCats are back in action in game two of the series tomorrow, with first pitch set for noon CT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wilkey, Kenna (10-2)
L: Gregory,M (4-12)
Batting:
2B: Lewis, Rachel 1
3B: Novak, Lily 1
HR: Wilkey, Kenna 1
RBI: Lewis, Rachel 1 ; Nelson, Maeve 1 ; Cuchran, Nikki 1 ; Newport, Morgan 1 ; Novak, Lily 3 ; Wilkey, Kenna 2 ; Shellmyer, Skyler 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lewis, Rachel 1 ; Nelson, Maeve 1 ; Cuchran, Nikki 1 ; Rudd, Jordyn 1 ; Newport, Morgan 1 ; Novak, Lily 2 ; Wilkey, Kenna 1 ; Shellmyer, Skyler 2
Batting:
2B: Echols,C 1
HR: Eveland,K 1
RBI: Ladd,C 1 ; Echols,C 1 ; Eveland,K 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Ladd,C 1 ; Meech,M 1 ; Eveland,K 1 ; Bartz,J 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
1
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
IF/OF
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
IF/C
/ Softball
P/U
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
C/U
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballP
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Sunday, April 27
