San Diego State Hands No. 2 Northwestern First Loss of Season, 3-2
Feb. 23, 2008
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. -- San Diego State scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to hand No. 2 Northwestern its first loss of the season, 3-2, Friday night at the Palm Springs Classic. The loss drops the Wildcats to 5-1 on the season while the Aztecs, who defeated No. 9 Arizona earlier in the day, improve to 11-1 on the year. San Diego State opened the scoring in the bottom of the first innings, turning a leadoff walk, two singles and a balk into a pair of runs against Northwestern starter Jessica Smith (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon). Northwestern knotted the score, 2-2, in the top of the fourth, getting the first run in the form of a two-out, solo home run by junior Erin Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport). Dyer's blast was her second of the year and the 18th of her career, moving her into a tie with Karen Lemke (1982-85) for fifth on NU's career list. Kelly Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) followed with a single into left center, knocking Samantha Beasley from the circle in favor of Aztec ace Christina Ross. Freshman Robin Thompson (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King) then laced a line-drive single into right field, moving Dyer around to third. On the very next pitch, Thompson took off for second and the throw sailed into center to allow Dyer to come home and tie the game. While the Wildcats were tying the game, Smith settled down in the circle. After walking the first two batters of the second inning, Smith retired 10 in a row before the Aztecs got a one-out single in the fifth.
With the score still knotted, 2-2, San Diego State got a leadoff double to begin the bottom of the sixth. Northwestern head coach Kate Drohan then elected to bring in sophomore Lauren Delaney (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) in relief of Smith. Delaney went to work, getting the first out on a sacrifice bunt that moved the runner to third. She then fought through a 10-pitch at bat before coaxing a shallow fly to right that freshman Jordan Wheeler (Garden Grove, Calif./Los Alamitos) corralled before firing a bullet to the plate to prevent the runner from coming home. Delaney then fanned the final batter to allow NU to escape unscathed.
Smith allowed two runs on four hits and four walks with four strikeouts over five-plus innings of work. In the bottom of the seventh, Tonye McCorkle -- younger sister of 2006 Northwestern graduate Sheila McCorkle -- worked a one-out walk for San Diego State, then moved all the way around to third after Williams' throw on an infield single dribbled away from first base. A two-out bloop single allowed the winning run to come home. Delaney took the loss after pitching 1.2 innings and allowing two hits and one walk with two strikeouts. Williams finished with two hits for Northwestern, her sixth-consecutive game to start the season with at least two base hits. Northwestern returns to action at 6 p.m. CT tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 23, against No. 6 LSU. |
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