April 9, 2006
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Despite taking the early lead in the backside of a doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Ohio State, No. 15 Northwestern fell in the game, 3-2, to the Buckeyes.
With the loss, Northwestern drops to 25-10 overall on the year, 6-2 in the Big Ten. Ohio State improves to 24-14 on the season, 6-2 in the conference.
Northwestern wasted no time getting runs to start the second game. Freshman Tammy Williams (El Dorado Springs, Mo./Osceola) made sure of that, blasting a leadoff solo home run to give the Wildcats an immediate 1-0 lead.
The homer tied Williams for the team lead with seven on the season.
Junior Katie Logan (Tempe, Ariz./Corona del Sol) followed with a single to right, moving to second one out later when senior Kristen Amegin (West Sacramento, Calif./Elk Grove) single to third.
Senior Jamie Dotson (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) drove in Logan with a single up the middle to finish the inning with a two-run Wildcat advantage, 2-0.
Ohio State cut into that lead with a fourth-inning, solo home run to make the score 2-1. The hit was the first given up in the game by Northwestern starter Courtnay Foster (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro), who struck out nine through the first four innings of play.
Ohio State tied the game in the top of the fifth. The hosts got a leadoff single, then a Wildcat error on a sacrifice attempt put a runner at third with one out. The Buckeyes squeezed home the run to knot the game, 2-2.
OSU took its first lead of the second game in the top of the sixth, turning a leadoff walk into a one-run lead after a sacrifice bunt and a single to center made the score 3-2.
Foster (14-5) took the loss after giving up three runs -- two earned -- on four hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts.
Williams finished the game 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored for the 'Cats. Logan was 2-for-4 and scored a run.
Northwestern returns to action at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, against UIC at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.