Northwestern University Athletics

Sunday, May 16
Evanston, Ill.
1 p.m.

Northwestern

29-15, 29-15

6
vs
5

Nebraska

22-22, 22-22

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Nebraska
1
0
0
2
0
1
1
5
11
0
Northwestern
0
1
2
1
2
0
X
6
13
0
Newport senior day
Photo by: photo by John Konstantaras

Wildcats Earn Series Win with 6-5 Victory on Senior Day

5/16/2021 5:13:00β€―PM | Softball

EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern closed out its regular season with a 6-5 victory over Nebraska on Senior Day at Sharon J. Drysdale Field, behind an incredible performance from graduate student Morgan Newport. The 'Cats finish the regular season with a 29-15 record
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Newport did it all in her final game in Evanston, tossing a complete game in the circle and crushing a two-run homer as part of a 3-for-3 effort. The DeKalb, Ill. posted career-highs in batting average (.324) and home runs (10) in her final season, tallying a career average of .287 (139-for-484), 17 home runs and 93 RBI in 202 games played. Β 
Newport was joined by fellow Senior Day honorees Mac Dunlap and Emma Bartz in the starting lineup, with Bartz playing stellar defense in right field and Dunlap picking up a walk and RBI.
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The Wildcats fell behind 1-0 early in the first inning, but Newport stranded two baserunners to prevent further damage. The 'Cats quickly tied the game when Sydney Supple drove in Newport with a single to left in the second inning.
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With a runner on in the bottom of the third, Newport destroyed a home run over the scoreboard in center field for her final long-ball at Sharon J. Drysdale Field, giving the 'Cats a 3-1 lead.
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Nebraska tied the game once again in the of the fourth, but Northwestern took the lead right back in the bottom of the inning, thanks to a RBI-single from Jordyn Rudd.
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Supple was inches from a three-run homer in the fifth inning, instead settling for a run-scoring double off the top of the left field fence. Mac Dunlap drove in Nikki Cuchran later in the inning to extend Northwestern's lead to 6-3.
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Newport battled through two solo-home runs late in the game to secure a 6-5 win and her third seven-inning pitching performance of the season.
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The Wildcats will discover their postseason fate tonight when the NCAA Tournament Selection Show airs at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN2. The 'Cats seek their sixth birth in the last seven tournaments, with their last appearance ending in a trip to the Super Regionals in 2019.
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Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Newport, Morgan (6-3)

L: Courtney Wallace (11-9)

Batting:

2B: Cam Ybarra 1 ; Brooke Andrews 1

HR: Tristen Edwards 1 ; Rylie Unzicker 1

RBI: Billie Andrews 2 ; Tristen Edwards 1 ; Olivia Ferrell 1 ; Rylie Unzicker 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Billie Andrews 1 ; Tristen Edwards 1 ; Brooke Andrews 1 ; Rylie Unzicker 2

SB: Rylie Unzicker 1

Northwestern LogoNorthwestern

Batting:

2B: Lewis, Rachel 1 ; Zedak, Angela 1 ; Supple, Sydney 1

HR: Newport, Morgan 1

RBI: Rudd, Jordyn 1 ; Newport, Morgan 2 ; Supple, Sydney 2 ; Dunlap, Mac 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Shellmyer, Skyler 1 ; Lewis, Rachel 1 ; Newport, Morgan 2 ; Zedak, Angela 1 ; Cuchran, Nikki 1

SB: Shellmyer, Skyler 1 ; Lewis, Rachel 1 ; Supple, Sydney 1 ; Bartz, Emma 1

CS: Stanley, Sammy 1

HBP: Lewis, Rachel 1

Game Leaders

AB
3
R
2
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
2
RBI
2

Players Mentioned

OF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P/U
/ Softball
C/U
/ Softball
P/1B
/ Softball
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Softball - 'Cats Earn 8-0 Run-Rule Win at No. 8 UCLA (5/2/25)
Saturday, May 03
Softball - Kaylie Avvisato Hits Walk-Off Home Run, 'Cats Take Series vs. Wisconsin (4/27/25)
Sunday, April 27