Feb. 2, 2002
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Tampa, Fla. - After falling in extra innings to Tennessee in the morning, 3-2, the Northwestern softball team battled back to defeat the Lady Vols in the afternoon, 5-2.
In the morning game, Brie Brown (Nashville, Tenn./Harpeth Hall) threw a complete game, allowing only two earned runs while striking out eight. However, a throwing error in the bottom of the eighth by Northwestern, with the international tie breaking rule in affect, allowed a Tennessee runner to score from second and break the 2-2 tie.
For the second game this weekend, the 'Cats struck first with an RBI grounder off the bat of senior Erin Jancic (Houston, Texas/Alief Elsik).
UT then went ahead in the fifth on a two-run homer over the left field fence.
The 'Cats answered right back in the top of the inning when Carri Leto (El Cajon, Calif./Valhalla) scored from third on a single by Erin Mobley (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill).
Both teams went down in order in the seventh which brought the game into extra innings.
Rane Gunderson (Minnetonka, Minn./Minnetonka) was placed at second to begin the eighth per the international tie breaking rule. Gunderson quickly advanced to third on a wild pitch. Brett Nakabayashi (Irvine, Calif./Irvine) then grounded out to second base, holding Gunderson at third. Leto then stepped to the plate and hit a grounder to the second baseman. This time the fielder fired home in an attempt to tag out Gunderson, who took off from third. Gunderson tried to retreat back to the base, but was tagged out by the catcher. Jancic grounded out to third to end the inning.
In the bottom of the eighth with one out, Gretchen Barnes (Flossmoor, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) overthrew Nakabayashi, which brought around UT's third and winning run.
The teams meet again in the afternoon in the first round of tournament play.
This time Lauren Schwendimann (Tustin, Calif./Foothill) was in the circle for the 'Cats. Schwindimann pitched seven innings to give the Wildcats revenge from the morning loss.
NU scored early again, as Jancic knocked in Nakabayashi and Leto on a squeeze play.
The 'Cats added three more in the seventh on back-to-back doubles by Leto and Jancic.
The 'Cats will wrap up the weekend tournament Sunday with a final game against top-seeded Florida Atlantic at noon CST. To get immediate results on the game call the Wildcat sportsline at 847-467-ncats (6228).