March 7, 2009
OKLAHOMA CITY -- No. 16 Northwestern erased a three-run deficit with two homers in the top of the sixth, but No. 6 Oklahoma scored in the bottom half of the frame to escape the Wildcats, 4-3, Saturday afternoon at The Preview presented by Worth.
The loss drops Northwestern to 11-7 on the season, while Oklahoma improves to 17-4 with its win.
Oklahoma jumped out on top right away, getting a two-run home run after a leadoff single to take a quick 2-0 lead. Northwestern starter Lauren Delaney (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) settled down to end the frame with no further damage, holding OU off the board until the fourth.
Northwestern got its first hit of the game via a leadoff Tammy Williams (Roscoe, Mo./Osceola) single in the top of the fourth, but the Wildcats were unable to move her around.
The Sooners added another run in the bottom of the fourth when a one-out single came around to score on a two-out base knock.
The Wildcats cut into their deficit so much in the top of the sixth, they erased it. Senior Ashley Lafever (Bettendorf, Iowa/Pleasant Valley) worked a full-count, leadoff walk before trotting home when pinch hitter Emily Haug (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) took Oklahoma starter Allee Allen deep to right for her first home run of the season. Haug now is 6-for-10 on the year as a pinch hitter with six RBIs.
Williams made it back-to-back jacks for the 'Cats with a solo shot to right to tie the game for NU, 3-3. The shot was her third of the season and the 45th of her career.
Sophomore Robin Thompson (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King) followed Williams with a single up the middle to knock Allen from the game in favor of Kirsten Allen. Nicole Pauly (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) then laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt, and the alert Thompson scampered to third when no one covered the bag. K. Allen (5-1) was able to escape the inning however after sandwiching an intentional walk to Michelle Batts (Bloomingdale, Ill./Glenbard North) between a groundout and a pop up.
Oklahoma came right back, however, taking the lead away on a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the sixth.
In the top of the seventh, Kelly Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) led off with a laser beam to short that the diving fielder gloved and rolled over while making an acrobatic catch. NU was unable to make any further noise in the inning.
Delaney (10-6) allowed four runs on seven hits and three walks with six strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work.
Williams finished 2-for-3 while Haug drove in two for NU.
Northwestern returns to action tomorrow, Sunday, March 8, with two more games at The Preview presented by Worth. NU faces Tennessee again at 10 a.m. CT before taking on Oklahoma at 1:30 p.m. CT.