March 30, 2008

Box Score

EVANSTON, Ill. -- In one of No. 16 Northwestern's wildest games in recent memory, the Wildcats came back from an early 8-2 deficit against Minnesota to score 15 unanswered runs in the second half of a Sunday doubleheader at Sharon J. Drysdale Field, sweeping the series from the Gophers with a 17-8 game two victory.

The win completes a perfect 4-0 opening Big Ten weekend for Northwestern, also improving the Wildcats to 17-9 overall on the year. Minnesota falls to 19-10 with its loss, 2-2 in the conference.

Junior Tammy Williams (Roscoe, Mo./Osceola) hit two grand slams in the game and tied the Northwestern single-game record for RBIs with eight. The 17-run outburst was Northwestern's most since scoring 17 against Purdue on April 14, 2000. The 25 combined runs are the most in an NU game since March 7, 1997 when the Wildcats fell to Wichita State 17-9.

Minnesota opened the scoring in the top of the first without benefit of a base hit. An error allowed the leadoff Gopher to reach before a walk put runners at first and second with no outs. After Northwestern starter Jessica Smith (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon) earned a strikeout, both runners moved up on a double steal. A squeeze bunt then brought home Minnesota's first run to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

With a runner at third and one out, Williams snagged a smoking line drive for out number two before firing to freshman Robin Thompson (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King) at third to double off the runner and end the inning.

Northwestern answered immediately in the bottom of the frame. Williams ripped a one-out single into left field, then moved up a bag when freshman Michelle Batts (Bloomingdale, Ill./Glenbard North) drew a walk. Minnesota starting pitcher Katie Dalen then unleashed a wild pitch that rattled around so long, an aggressive Williams came all the way around to score from second and Batts moved to third.

Sophomore Nicole Pauly (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) then lined a shot deep into center that was caught, giving Batts plenty of time to scamper home on the sacrifice fly to give the Wildcats a 2-1 advantage.

Minnesota took the lead right back in the top of the second, going up 3-2 on a double and a two-run home run. The Gophers then took a commanding lead in the top of the third, turning three singles, a walk and a homer into five runs to make the score 8-2.

Northwestern put together a rally in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out, sophomore Kelly Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport), freshman Kelly Quinn (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) and Thompson recorded back-to-back-to-back infield singles to load the bases. Senior Darcy Sengewald (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) then hit a slow grounder to short, but Dyer beat the throw home on the fielder's choice to cut the NU deficit to five, 8-3.

One out later, Williams stepped to the plate and annihilated a 3-1 Dalen offering nearly off the scoreboard attached to McGaw Hall beyond left field for a grand slam to make the score 8-7. The slam was Williams' sixth home run of the season; she ranks second in NU history and eighth in Big Ten annals with 37 for her career after hitting two in the game.

In the top of the fifth, Minnesota drew a leadoff walk, then Williams made a simply unbelievable catch, sprinting into center and diving to glove a ball over her shoulder for out number one. After a single into center put two runners on, Smith yielded the circle to sophomore Lauren Delaney (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias), who fanned the next two batters to end the inning.

Smith's line finished up at eight runs allowed (seven earned) on seven hits and three walks with two strikeouts.

Northwestern completed its comeback -- and then some -- in the bottom of the fifth. Pauly led off the frame with a single back up the middle, then was replaced at first by pinch runner Aly Euler (River Forest, Ill./Oak Park River Forest). A sacrifice bunt attempt from Erin Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) got through the charging infield for a base hit and putting runners at second and third. Dyer's sister, Kelly, then attempted a sac bunt of her own, and the throw to first sailed wide for an error to allow Euler to come around and score to knot the game, 8-8. The sisters Dyer ended up at second and third, with sophomore Ashley Lafever (Bettendorf, Iowa/Pleasant Valley) replacing Erin at third.

Quinn followed with a line drive home run that stayed high enough long enough to leave the ballpark over the center field fence to put NU in the lead, 11-8, for the first time since the 'Cats led 2-1 after the first inning. Quinn's homer was her second of the season.

Northwestern continued to pull away from Minnesota in the bottom of the sixth. Pauly led off with a sharp single that hit Dalen before Erin Dyer clubbed a soaring home run over the left-center field fence to make the score 13-8. Dyer's homer was her third of the weekend, her fifth of the season and the 21st of her career, giving her sole possession of the No. 4 position on Northwestern's all-time chart.

Later in the sixth, a walk to Quinn, a single by Sengewald and a walk to pinch hitter Jessica Rigas (River Forest, Ill./Oak Park River Forest) loaded the bases, forcing Dalen (7-6) out of the game in favor of game one starter Briana Hassett. Williams then launched her second grand slam of the game to end it early in run-rule fashion, 17-8.

Delaney (15-6) closed out the game with 1.2 shutout innings of work, allowing one hit and striking out three to earn the victory.

Williams finished 3-for-3 with eight RBIs and three runs scored. Pauly, Quinn and Erin Dyer each had two hits, with Quinn driving in three and Erin Dyer bringing home two. Quinn scored three times and Kelly Dyer and Sengewald each crossed the plate twice for NU.

Northwestern returns to action at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 1, at Northern Illinois.

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