Wildcats Drop Weekend Finale at No. 5 Oklahoma

Sunday, March 1

Norman, OK

Noon CT

Northwestern

8-11

#5 Oklahoma

15-4

Oklahoma

Northwestern

Wildcats Drop Weekend Finale at No. 5 Oklahoma

3/1/2020 2:43:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

NORMAN, Okla. – Northwestern concluded its weekend at the Courtyard Marriott Tournament hosted by the University of Oklahoma with a 5-1 setback to the No. 5-ranked Sooners.

The Wildcats kept one of the nation's top offenses in check for six innings, but ultimately a five-run rally in the top of the fifth inning proved to be the difference.

Sunday's game marked the ninth ranked matchup Northwestern has played in its first 19 games this season, the most of any team in the Big Ten. Five of those ranked matchups have come against opponents ranked in the Top 10 of the NFCA/USA Today Coaches Poll.

Morgan Newport led the Wildcats with two hits on the afternoon, including a two-out RBI-single to the center field wall to score Emma Bartz in the bottom of the second and put the 'Cats ahead 1-0. Newport also recorded a single in the fifth inning and a walk in the seventh. This marks the fifth multi-hit effort of the season for Newport, the most of any Wildcat.

Also recording hits for the 'Cats were Nikki Cuchran, Gracie Huff and Skyler Shellmyer. Cuchran doubled to lead off the bottom of the second inning, her fourth two-bagger on the year, while Huff notched a pinch-hit single in the sixth inning, her second of the weekend. In the seventh inning, Skyler Shellmyer beat out an infield single to the second baseman to bring the potential tying run to the on-deck circle with two outs, but the Sooners responded to end the game.

Kaley Winegarner tossed 2.1 scoreless innings of relief in the circle, allowing just one hit while striking out four, including each of the three batters she faced in the top of the seventh inning.

Northwestern finishes the weekend in Norman with a 3-2 record and will be in action next weekend at the Louisville Invitational for what will include two matchups against the Louisville Cardinals in a rematch of the 2019 Evanston Regional Final.

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