Wildcats Conclude Opening Weekend With Win

Sunday, February 9

Tempe, AZ

10 a.m. CT

Northwestern

2-3

Portland State

1-4

Portland State

Northwestern

Photo by: S. J. Carrera, Inc.

Wildcats Conclude Opening Weekend With Win

2/9/2020 3:34:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

TEMPE, Ariz. – No. 14 Northwestern wrapped up its opening weekend trip at the Kajikawa Classic with an 8-3 win over Portland State.

The Wildcats scored six of their eight runs in the third inning, which saw five different Wildcats record hits including home runs from Maeve Nelson and Jordyn Rudd.

Fifth-year senior Kaley Winegarner made her first start of the season and earned the win, allowing just four hits and one unearned run in 4.0 innings of work while striking out four.

Mac Dunlap led the Wildcats at the plate with a career-high three RBI of her own. Dunlap gave the Wildcats the lead in the second inning with a two-out double to score Gracie Huff and Skyler Shellmyer. Later in the fifth inning, she drove in another run on a sacrifice fly.

Rachel Lewis went 3-for-4 with an RBI at the plate along with two stolen bases, bringing her season total to five on five attempts.

Nelson opened the bottom of the third inning with a leadoff homer to right-center, her first of the year. Rudd followed her up with a two-run shot of her own to extend the Wildcats' lead.

Following Winegarner in the circle was Sydney Supple, who made her collegiate pitching debut and retired all six batters she faced in 2.0 innings. Portland State scored two in the top of the seventh inning, but Danielle Williams stepped in for the final two outs to earn her first save of the season.

Rudd led the Wildcats with five RBI and seven hits over the team's first five games of the weekend, while Lewis and Williams each finished with five hits of their own.

Northwestern is back in action on Friday, February 14 when they travel to Clearwater, Florida for the ESPN Clearwater/St. Pete Elite Tournament. The Wildcats first matchup of the four-game event is against Georgia beginning at 2 p.m. CT.

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