Feb. 18, 200
LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- With No. 12 Northwestern trailing, 3-2, in the top of the seventh inning, senior Sheila McCorkle (Costa Mesa, Calif./Mater Dei) deposited a ball over the left-field fence to give the Wildcats a 5-3 win over UNLV Friday night at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic.
With the win, Northwestern improves to 5-2 on the season, while UNLV falls to 4-3.
In the top of the seventh, junior Katie Logan (Tempe, Ariz./Corona del Sol) beat out an infield single to second to lead off the inning. Junior Garland Cooper (Mission Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) followed with a walk and then senior Kristen Amegin (West Sacramento, Calif./Elk Grove) was hit by a pitch to load the bases with nobody out.
One out later, McCorkle stepped the to plate and jacked a ball over the left-field fence for a grand slam to take the lead for the Wildcats -- except that in the excitement, McCorkle passed Amegin after rounding first base and was called out, making the salami a three-run single for a 5-3 Northwestern advantage.
Northwestern starter Courtnay Foster (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro) got the final three outs to preserve the victory.
Both teams traded bases loaded situations in the early going. UNLV filled the pond with two walks and a single in the bottom of the first, but Foster (4-1) struck out Kendall Fearn looking to end the frame with no harm done.
In the top of the second, senior Ashley Crane (Sammamish, Wash./Eastlake) ripped a two-out single to center, then sophomore Darcy Sengewald (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East) drew a full-count walk after fouling off more pitches than Vegas has casinos. Freshman Tammy Williams (El Dorado Springs, Mo./Osceola) loaded the bases with a hard single into left field, but again a strikeout would end the threat with no runs scored.
Again UNLV loaded the sacks in the bottom half of the second. With no outs, Foster struck the next two batters out, but a passed ball on the second `K' allowed a run to come home for a 1-0 Rebel lead. Foster coaxed a pop up to Sengewald at third to end the inning with no further damage.
The Rebels added one more run in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run to take a 2-0 lead.
Northwestern got one run back in the top of the fifth when Cooper hit her first home run of the season, a two-out solo shot to left field to cut UNLV's lead in half, 2-1.
In the top of the sixth, senior Jamie Dotson (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) led off the inning with a double down the right field line, then was replaced on the basepaths by freshman Erin Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport). McCorkle executed a sacrifice bunt to move Dyer to third with one out, prompting UNLV to bring Shannon Crisp (1-1) in to pitch in relief of starter Christie Robinson.
Crisp hit junior Jessica Miller (Elberfeld, Ind./Techumseh) with her first pitch to put runners on first and third, then Miller stole second on the next offering. With Sengewald at the plate and two outs in the inning, Crisp unleashed a wild pitch and Dyer sprinted home and slid under the tag to knot the score, 2-2.
UNLV retook the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. A bloop single and an infield single put runners on first and second with two outs. Foster fooled Brittany Bollinger with a pitch, but Bollinger's check swing spun wickedly in the dirt away from the defense, and Foster's rushed throw sailed into right field to allow a run to score and give the Rebels a 3-2 advantage. Foster caught the next batter looking to end the inning and set up McCorkle's dramatics.
Northwestern returns to action tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 18, at 1 p.m. CT against No. 14 Oregon State.