Dramatic Comeback Seals Wildcat Win In First Home Game Since 2019

Friday, March 26

Evanston, Ill.

3 p.m.

Northwestern

12-1, 12-1

Wisconsin

4-9, 4-9

Wisconsin

Northwestern

Photo by: S. J. Carrera, Inc.

Dramatic Comeback Seals Wildcat Win In First Home Game Since 2019

3/26/2021 7:07:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Northwestern rallied past Wisconsin 6-5 on a walkoff from Sydney Supple

EVANSTON, Ill. – Trailing 5-0 entering the sixth inning, the Cardiac 'Cats roared back to defeat Wisconsin 6-5 on a walkoff from Sydney Supple in an instant classic at Sharon J. Drysdale Field on Friday afternoon.

The game was Northwestern's first home game since May, 19, 2019, when the Wildcats advanced out of their NCAA Regional with two wins against Louisville, including a 4-3 dramatic deciding game.

The Wildcats improved to 12-1 on the season and maintained their lead atop the Big Ten Standings.

Supple's heroics were the story of the day, as she came into the game in the fifth inning to throw 3.0 frames of scoreless relief, earning the win to improve to 2-0. She collected three RBI in two at-bats including the walkoff two-RBI double, down 5-4 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh.

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— Northwestern Athletics (@NU_Sports) March 26, 2021

Jordan Rudd was the only Wildcat with a multihit day, going 2-3. Rachel Lewis, Hannah Cady and Lauren Boyd collected the the other three RBI for the 'Cats with one apiece.

Danielle Williams started for Northwestern and struck out five in 4.0 innings.

Wisconsin put up a run in each of the first three innings and tacked on two more in the fifth, leaving the Wildcats in a precarious spot.

Despite a frustrating afternoon so far, the 'Cats began the rally in the sixth with a single from Morgan Newport with no outs. Emma Bartz stepped up to run the bases, and reached second the next at-bat thanks to a single from Nikki Cuchran. Angela Zedak advanced both runners with a groundout before Cady put the 'Cats on the board with a single to right field, scoring Bartz.

Mac Dunlap, pinch running for Cuchran, scored on the next play after Supple grounded out to first. With two outs, the Wildcats strung together two more sinlges from Skyler Shellmyer and Lewis to plate a crucial third run and build momentum into the seventh.

Supple kept her cool with a scoreless top frame, and in the bottom half, Rudd made the 'Cats intentions clear with a leadoff single. Newport squeaked a ball through the left side on an error from the Badgers, which put two on and no outs. Cuchran nearly landed a blooper into left, but the Badgers' outfielder made a sliding catch for the first half.

Zedak walked to load the bases, setting up Boyd in a pressure-filled spot with one out. Boyd, a pitcher with just 17 at-bats this season, earned an RBI with a ball in play to first, which cut the deficit to 5-4 with two outs.

Supple sized her moment and crushed the first pitch she saw, Maddie Schwartz' 119th pitch of the afternoon, off of the right center wall. Zedak and Newport scored as the Wildcat bench stormed the field to celebrate. In a Big Ten campaign that could come down to the wire, the sixth and seventh innings on Friday could be a massive turning point down the line.

Northwestern will continue that campaign tomorrow as it looks to shut down the Badgers in a doubleheader.First pitch is set for 12 p.m. CT, but fans should stay tuned to the weather and @NUSBCats on Twitter for any potential updates.