Saturday, February 26
Palm Desert, CA
4:30 p.m. CT
Northwestern
10-2
1
vs
0
#5 Washington
10-4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Washington
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
Northwestern
0
0
1
0
0
0
X
1
3
0
'Cats Pick Up Another Top-10 Win Over No. 5 Washington
2/26/2022 11:55:00 PM | Softball
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – Northwestern continued its stellar play against the nation's top teams in Saturday's Mary Nutter Classic doubleheader, knocking off No. 5 Washington, 1-0. The victory boosted the Wildcats to double-digit wins on the season and marked NU's third win against a top 10 team and fifth win against a ranked team this season.
Senior pitcher Danielle Williams secured a complete game shutout to earn the win. Williams quieted the Huskies' bats with eight strikeouts and only three hits allowed in seven innings of work, just a day after earning a pair of wins in the Wildcats' Friday doubleheader.
Williams thrived under pressure, causing Washington to leave five runners on base. In the top of the third, she kept the Huskies' two baserunners from scoring by forcing a strikeout and flyout. Three innings later, Williams stranded a runner on third base with consecutive outs and ended Washington's scoring threat.
The Cats' infield also made plays, including a highlight-reel double play in the second inning, and finished without an error.
Offensively, graduate outfielder Rachel Lewis proved to be the difference in the matchup. Lewis scored the decisive run in the bottom of the third inning, a moonshot home run to left field. The blast was the fourth for Lewis this season and her second of the Mary Nutter Classic.
Senior outfielder Skyler Shellmyer also chipped in with a hit, walk and stolen base in NU's winning effort.
The Wildcats' saw their winning streak come to an end against Cal State Fullerton, losing the nightcap of the doubleheader, 9-8.
After falling in an early seven-run deficit, NU staged a furious rally in the seventh inning. The Cats scored on a solo home run by Lewis — her second home run of the day — and a three-run single by first-year infielder Grace Nieto, but couldn't complete the comeback to move to 10-3 on the season.
Chicago's Big Ten Team will play its Mary Nutter Classic finale on Sunday, when they will take on Texas Tech at 11 a.m. CT.
Senior pitcher Danielle Williams secured a complete game shutout to earn the win. Williams quieted the Huskies' bats with eight strikeouts and only three hits allowed in seven innings of work, just a day after earning a pair of wins in the Wildcats' Friday doubleheader.
Williams thrived under pressure, causing Washington to leave five runners on base. In the top of the third, she kept the Huskies' two baserunners from scoring by forcing a strikeout and flyout. Three innings later, Williams stranded a runner on third base with consecutive outs and ended Washington's scoring threat.
A Danielle Williams strikeout strands a runner on third and keeps the 'Cats up one.#GoCats | #BeRemarkable pic.twitter.com/UTVtSgqksR
— Northwestern Softball (@NUSBcats) February 27, 2022
The Cats' infield also made plays, including a highlight-reel double play in the second inning, and finished without an error.
The Wildcat infield is on its A game!#GoCats | #BeRemarkable pic.twitter.com/4AphPTGbm3
— Northwestern Softball (@NUSBcats) February 26, 2022
Offensively, graduate outfielder Rachel Lewis proved to be the difference in the matchup. Lewis scored the decisive run in the bottom of the third inning, a moonshot home run to left field. The blast was the fourth for Lewis this season and her second of the Mary Nutter Classic.
This ball still hasn't landed!!
— Northwestern Softball (@NUSBcats) February 26, 2022
No. 4 on the season for Rachel Lewis is a big one and gets us on the scoreboard!#GoCats | #BeRemarkable pic.twitter.com/1LPdFj0thV
Senior outfielder Skyler Shellmyer also chipped in with a hit, walk and stolen base in NU's winning effort.
The Wildcats' saw their winning streak come to an end against Cal State Fullerton, losing the nightcap of the doubleheader, 9-8.
After falling in an early seven-run deficit, NU staged a furious rally in the seventh inning. The Cats scored on a solo home run by Lewis — her second home run of the day — and a three-run single by first-year infielder Grace Nieto, but couldn't complete the comeback to move to 10-3 on the season.
Chicago's Big Ten Team will play its Mary Nutter Classic finale on Sunday, when they will take on Texas Tech at 11 a.m. CT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Williams, Danielle (7-1)
L: Lynch, Kelle (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Klingler, Ba 1
Base Running:
HBP: Johnson, Oli 1
Batting:
2B: Nieto, Grace 1
HR: Lewis, Rachel 1
RBI: Lewis, Rachel 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lewis, Rachel 1
SB: Shellmyer, Skyler 1
CS: Lindsey, Ayana 1
HBP: Rudd, Jordyn 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
IF/OF
/ SoftballIF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P/U
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