March 31, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern (11-8-1, 2-0) began the Big Ten softball season with two wins over Indiana (9-14-1, 0-4) Sunday at Drysdale Field. In game one, the Wildcats run-ruled the Hoosiers, 9-1, in six innings. Game two took a little longer, as the 'Cats needed 10 innings to defeat IU 4-3 and come away with the series sweep.
Lauren Schwendimann (Tustin, Calif./Foothill) threw six innings in the first game for her eighth win of the season. The junior right-hander allowed just one run on four hits, while striking out five.
The 'Cats scored in each of the first three innings to take immediate control of the game. NU had seven hits for the game and was able to take advantage of four Hoosier errors. IU committed a total of nine errors on the day. Only four of NU's 13 runs were earned.
In game two, NU again took the early lead when J.C. Kira (Honolulu, Hawaii/St. Francis) scored on an error by IU's first baseman Heather Stillians.
Indiana evened the game at 1-1 with a fielder's choice RBI in the third.
With NU up 2-1 after the first half of the fifth, Brie Brown (Nashville, Tenn./Harpeth Hall) issued what turn out to be a very costly walk to catcher Stormy Hanson. With two outs, Brooke Monroe homered to left center to put the Hoosiers up for the first time, 3-2.
In the top half of the sixth, Robyn Pettinger (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Fremd) gave NU its own two-out rally with a solo shot to left center, notching the game at 3-3. The long ball was the third for Pettinger this season and the seventh of her career.
The score remained tied for the next three innings as neither team could muster a winning rally. Game two saw 21 runners left on base.
In the eighth, Schwendimann, hitting as the designated player, drew a lead-off walk and was replaced on the bases by Andria Caruthers (Inglewood, Calif./Westchester). Caruthers advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, then took third on a single to left by Kira. Pinch hitter Cindy Muran (Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park) grounded out to the second baseman to end the late-inning rally.
NU drew another lead-off walk in the 10th inning, and this time it was able to capitalize. With Gretchen Barnes (Flossmoor, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) on first, Schwendimann bunted her into scoring position. Another error on Pettinger's single to right field allowed Barnes to score from second, giving NU the 4-3 advantage.
Brown sat down the Hoosiers in order in the bottom half of the 10th to secure her third win of the year. For the game, Brown scattered nine hits in 10 innings of work.
The 'Cats return to the road this weekend for a two-game series against Purdue and Illinois.