April 4, 2006
DeKALB, Ill. -- No. 16 Northwestern traveled to Northern Illinois Tuesday afternoon for its first nonconference, midweek game of the season, leaving DeKalb with a 3-1 victory.
With the win, Northwestern improves to 23-8 overall and runs its current winning streak to six. Northern Illinois falls to 10-15 on the season with the loss.
Northwestern opened the scoring in the third inning. Senior Ashley Crane (Sammamish, Wash./Eastlake) led off the frame with a single through the left side of the infield. One out later, freshman Tammy Williams (El Dorado Springs, Mo./Osceola) shot a single into right, and both runners moved up a base after the rightfielder booted the ball.
Junior Katie Logan (Tempe, Ariz./Corona del Sol) drove in Crane from third with her second single of the game, then junior Garland Cooper (Mission Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) clubbed a single to plate Williams for a 2-0 Northwestern lead.
Cooper, the reigning ESPN.com/USA Softball National Player of the Week, now has a team-season- and career-best 14-game hitting streak. Cooper's previous best streak was a 13-gamer last season. Williams has scored a run in the Wildcats' last eight contests.
In the top of the fourth, Northwestern put a threat together that NIU got out of with an impressive double play. Senior Jamie Dotson (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) led off the frame with single, then was replaced at first by pinch runner Gina Gonzalez (LaVerna, Calif./Bonita). Senior Sheila McCorkle (Costa Mesa, Calif./Mater Dei) followed with her second walk of the game, then both runners advanced a bag on a passed ball.
With runners on second and third and no outs, freshman Erin Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) killed a ball right at the third baseman, who snagged the liner and took it one step to her right to double off Gonzalez. The threat ended with no Wildcat runs.
In the bottom half of the sixth, Northern Illinois got back to within one run with a leadoff solo home run to make the score 2-1.
In the top of the seventh, Williams led off the inning with a single through the right side. Logan followed with her third single of the game to put runners on first and second with no outs. Cooper then hit a ball to the deepest part of the park in center, where it was caught. The centerfielder bobbled the ball, however, and Logan attempted to sneak up a bag, but was thrown out for out number two. Williams moved to third on the play.
Senior Kristen Amegin (West Sacramento, Calif./Elk Grove) then hit a towering, soaring fly ball into left where the fielder appeared to be camped under it. A strong wind pushed the ball toward center, and by the time it came down, the fielder had to sprint to her left and attempt a layout dive. She missed the ball and it fell for a double, scoring Williams for a 3-1 Wildcat lead.
Northwestern starter Courtnay Foster (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro) then fanned the side in the bottom of the frame to close out the complete-game victory. She allowed the one run on four hits with three walks and 12 strikeouts. She improves to 13-4 with the win.
Logan went 3-for-3 in the game, while Crane finished 2-for-2 with a run scored and a walk. Williams turned in a 2-for-3 performance with a walk and two runs scored.
Northwestern returns to action at 3 p.m. CT Friday, April 7, at Penn State.