Northwestern
16-4
Ball State
6-14
'Cats Close Double-Header With 10-Inning Thriller, Sixth Ranked Win
3/19/2022 7:01:00 PM | Softball
Danielle Williams was phenomenal yet again for the 'Cats, striking out 18 batters over nine innings while allowing just two earned runs over the double-header. Williams has now struck out 119 batters in 82.0 innings this season while posting a 1.02 ERA.
The 'Cats earned their second win of the season over Ball State in game one. Lauren Dvorak got the win, working the first three innings of the game. Danielle Williams struck out five of the six batters she faced in two perfect innings.
The Wildcats jumped out to a five-run lead in the first inning, thanks in part to a Rachel Lewis RBI-double and Jordyn Rudd two-run homer. Hannah Cady and Lauren Caldrone also drove in runs in the first inning.
Nikki Cuchran followed up a Skyler Shellmyer run with a two-run homer, her third of the season, to put the 'Cats up 8-0 in the second inning. After a five-run third inning from Ball State, Angela Zedak responded with a two-run home run in the top of the fourth.
Cuchran hit a bases-clearing double in the fifth inning to seal the run-rule win for Northwestern. Cuchran reached base three times and drove in five runs in the game. Jordyn Rudd went 3-for-4 in game one, including her first-inning home run, while Rachel Lewis, Skyler Shellmyer, Maeve Nelson, and Angela Zedak all reached base multiple times.
In game two, the 'Cats fought off No. 18 Missouri in a thrilling ten inning game for their sixth ranked win of the season.
Rachel Lewis blasted two crucial solo home runs for Northwestern, including the first run of the game with a laser in the first inning. After Missouri tied the game in the bottom of the second, Angela Zedak ripped a two-run single in the third inning and Hannah Cady drove in a run to make it a 4-1 game.
The Tigers took a 5-4 lead in the sixth, but Rachel Lewis was quick to respond with a game-tying home run in the top of the seventh.
It took until the 10th inning to break the tie, with Nikki Cuchran and Angela Zedak roping run-scoring singles to drive in three runs. Hannah Cady's RBI-ground out made it a four-run game and sealed the win.
The 'Cats are back in action tomorrow, taking on Ball State at 10 a.m. CT and Stanford at the conclusion of game one, approximately 12:30 p.m. CT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dvorak, Lauren (5-2)
L: TAYLOR, Madison (1-5)
S: Williams, Danielle (3)
Batting:
2B: Lewis, Rachel 1 ; Cuchran, Nikki 1
HR: Rudd, Jordyn 1 ; Cuchran, Nikki 1 ; Zedak, Angela 1
RBI: Lewis, Rachel 1 ; Rudd, Jordyn 2 ; Cuchran, Nikki 5 ; Zedak, Angela 2 ; Cady, Hannah 1 ; Caldrone, Lauren 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Shellmyer, Skyler 2 ; Lewis, Rachel 2 ; Rudd, Jordyn 2 ; Lindsey, Ayana 1 ; Nelson, Maeve 3 ; Cuchran, Nikki 2 ; Zedak, Angela 1
SB: Shellmyer, Skyler 1
HBP: Nelson, Maeve 1 ; Cady, Hannah 1
Batting:
HR: HENSLEY, Faith 1 ; ARMENDARIZ, Jazmyne 1
RBI: HENSLEY, Faith 1 ; DANIEL, Amaia 1 ; ARMENDARIZ, Jazmyne 3
SH: NIECE, Emma 1
Base Running:
RUNS: HENSLEY, Faith 1 ; WYNN, Haley 1 ; TIMMONS, McKayla 1 ; DANIEL, Amaia 1 ; ARMENDARIZ, Jazmyne 1
SB: HENSLEY, Faith 1 ; ROSS, Remington 1
HBP: DANIEL, Amaia 1
