April 23, 2008
Northwestern's Weekly Game Notes (PDF Format) 
EVANSTON, Ill. -- With two weekends remaining in the Big Ten season, No. 12 Northwestern travels to Penn State Friday and Saturday before matching up with co-Big Ten leaders and sixth-ranked Michigan in a Sunday doubleheader to be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network.
Friday's game against the Nittany Lions begins at 5 p.m. CT before an 11 a.m. first pitch Saturday in University Park, Pa. Sunday's festivities in Ann Arbor, Mich., being at 11 a.m. CT, as well.
Northwestern and Michigan bring identical 13-1 Big Ten records into the weekend, distancing themselves from third-place Iowa (10-4) with six games to go in the 2008 conference race. Before the battle of the titans Sunday, the Wildcats must get through the Nittany Lions while UM hosts Michigan State.
Northwestern and Penn State have played a very competitive series in recent years, although NU is 9-3 against PSU in the seven-year Kate Drohan era and has won eight of the last nine meetings between the schools. In those eight wins, NU has eked out two one-run, three two-run and two three-run victories.
This is the third time in the last four years that a late-season Northwestern vs. Michigan series in Ann Arbor will be the deciding factor in the Big Ten race. In 2005, the Wolverines swept the Wildcats en route to the conference championship, while Northwestern earned a split on the road in 2006 to win the title for itself. The two programs met in the first Big Ten series of 2007, splitting in Evanston before Ohio State swooped in to take the league crown after weather prevented the Buckeyes from playing the Wolverines that year.
Last year, Northwestern won 3-of-4 meetings with Michigan, including a nonconference tilt at a tourney in Louisville and a semifinal game in the Big Ten Tournament.
Overall, Northwestern is a red-hot team right now, winning 16 of its last 17 games including the last five in a row in five-inning run-rule fashion, a school-record total.
Following this weekend, No. 12 Northwestern and No. 23 DePaul will host No. 1 Alabama Tuesday, April 29, at DePaul in an exciting softball showcase for the city of Chicago. The Wildcats face the Tide at 1 p.m. before taking on the Blue Demons at 5 p.m. in Lincoln Park.
The Broadcasts
Gametracker will be available at NUsports.com for all games this weekend. Sunday's doubleheader at No. 6 Michigan will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network with Mark Neely handling play-by-play duties. Two-time Northwestern All-American Eileen Canney will provide color commentary along with Michigan alum Nicole Motycka.
For Northwestern's complete weekly game notes, click on the .pdf link at the top of this page.