April 12, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - Led by another strong outing by junior right-hander Lauren Schwendimann (Tustin, Calif./Foothill) and an early offensive explosion, the Northwestern softball squad defeated Penn State, 5-0, Friday afternoon at Drysdale Field. The win improves the 'Cats to 17-9-1, 6-1 in the Big Ten. Penn State drops to 19-18, 4-5 in the Big Ten. The two teams will meet again for Game 2 tomorrow at noon.
The 'Cats jumped on Penn State starter Marisa Hanson early, knocking the league's top pitcher out of the game after one batter in the second inning.
Erin Jancic (Houston, Texas/Alief Elsik) began the game with a lead-off walk, the eighth time in the last 15 games she has reached base safely to open the game. She later came across to score the first run of the inning on the first of three Carri Leto doubles (El Cajon, Calif./Valhalla). Schwendimann brought Leto home on a single to right, and two more runs came in during the first on Robyn Pettinger's (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Fremd) double.
The Nittany Lions gave up more runs to NU in the first inning, than they had in their last three games combined.
The 'Cats added to their lead in the second on Leto's second double of the game, which scored Jancic, who had doubled earlier in inning.
Schwendimann, who pitched her third consecutive complete-game shutout, upped her season record to 12-2. In Schwendimann's last three starts, she has pitched 21 innings, struck out 21, issued just three free passes and allowed no runs.
Leto paced the 'Cats at the plate with three doubles, two RBI and a run scored. She leads the 'Cats in hitting with a .349 average. Pettinger also swung a hot bat, going 2-for-3 with two RBI.