Ohio State Tops No. 7 Northwestern in Extra Frames, 5-3 (9)
April 13, 2007
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Sophomore Erin Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) hit a game-tying, three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to force extra innings, but Ohio State struck back with a homer of its own in the ninth to defeat No. 7 Northwestern Friday afternoon at Sharon J. Drysdale Field, 5-3 (9). The loss drops the Wildcats to 31-8 on the season, 6-2 in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes now are 22-13 on the year, 6-0 in the conference. Ohio State grabbed the early lead in the game with a one-out, solo home run in the second inning off Northwestern starter Eileen Canney (Paradise, Calif./Paradise). The Buckeyes would add two more in the fourth after a leadoff walk led to a sacrifice attempt, and a pair Wildcat errors on that bunt allowed a run to score and put a runner on third. That runner would come home on a hot-shot infield single to give OSU a 3-0 lead. After the home run, Canney held Ohio State's bats pretty well in check in the contest. She struck out the side in the fifth inning, then fanned the first batter of the sixth to give her eight strikeouts in the game and 200 for the season. In the bottom of the sixth, Northwestern finally broke through against Ohio State starter Kim Reeder. Senior Katie Logan (Tempe, Ariz./Corona del Sol) led off with a single up the middle, then moved to second one out later when senior Garland Cooper (Mission Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) hit an infield single to short. Then with two outs in the inning, Dyer crushed a mammoth home run over the stairwell tube attached to McGaw Hall in left field to tie the game, 3-3. The home run was Dyer's seventh of the season, good for third on the team.
In the top of the seventh, Ohio State threatened to take the lead again, putting a runner on second with one out. Canney coaxed a groundout to Darcy Sengewald (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East) before getting a tremendous defensive play from sophomore Tammy Williams (Roscoe, Mo./Osceola) to end the inning. Liz Caputo popped up into foul territory down the third-base line for OSU, but Williams sprinted over from her shortstop position and made a basket catch just before crashing into the fence to retire the Buckeyes.
Neither team could put any more runs on the board in regulation or through the first extra inning until Ohio State hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth to take a 5-3 lead. In the bottom of the ninth, freshman Nicole Pauly (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Ohio State then replaced Reeder in the circle with Jamee Juarez, who retired the final three Wildcats' batters to end the game. Canney took the loss for NU, allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts. She falls to 16-8 on the season. Reeder improved to 12-5 with the win for OSU, while Juarez picked up her third save. Logan finished 2-for-4 for Northwestern, while Williams had her school-record hitting streak broken at 24 games. The contest marked just the fourth time this season she has failed to get a base knock. Northwestern concludes its series against Ohio State at noon CT tomorrow, Saturday, April 14, at Sharon J. Drysdale Field. |
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