April 24, 2001
CHICAGO, Ill. - The Northwestern softball team defeated Illinois-Chicago, 7-2, Tuesday night at UIC. The `Cats tallied 10 hits to the Flames' five.
Northwestern scored one run in the second inning when sophomore Jessie Wellnitz (Waterloo, Iowa/East) singled to bring home junior Erin Jancic (Houston, Texas/Alief Elsik). The Flames garnered two runs in the bottom of the inning, but the `Cats stormed back with four runs in the third.
Junior Rane Gunderson (Minnetonka, Minn./Minnetonka) began the third inning by reaching first on an error by the UIC second baseman. Junior Gretchen Barnes (Flossmoor, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) then doubled, and sophomore Alyson Schulz (San Diego, Calif./Serra) walked. With the bases loaded, Jancic walked, scoring Gunderson. Barnes then scored on a fielder's choice, and sophomore Andria Caruthers (Inglewood, Calif./Westchester) brought in Schulz and Jancic on a single to center field.
Sophomore Robyn Pettinger (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Fremd) knocked in the Wildcats' final two runs. She hit her second home run of the season in the fifth inning, a solo shot, and in the seventh inning her double scored senior Stacey Austin (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore).
Pitchers Brie Brown (Nashville, Tenn./Harputh Hall)and Lauren Schwendimann (Tustin, Calif./Foothill) split time in the circle, with Brown picking up the win. She pitched four innings, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out four. Schwendimann pitched the final three innings with four strikeouts and two hits.
On the day, Barnes went 3-for-4 with one run and two doubles, Jancic went 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI, Caruthers went 2-for-3 with two RBI, and Pettinger went 2-for-4.
Northwestern improved its record to 18-19, and travels to Michigan on Friday for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.