April 8, 2009
Box Score
MINNEAPOLIS -- A trio of errors and six unearned runs contributed to No. 6 Northwestern's first Big Ten loss of the season, an 8-3 setback to Minnesota in the second game of a Wednesday doubleheader.
The loss snaps Northwestern's 12-game winning streak, dropping NU to 23-8 on the year, 9-1 in the Big Ten. Minnesota improves to 21-22 with its win, 4-4 in the conference.
Minnesota put together a serious threat in the bottom of the first, loading the bases with two outs after a trio of walks from NU starter Lauren Delaney (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias). The next batter to the plate ripped a ball down the third-base line, where third baseman Robin Thompson (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King) dove to snare it before reaching over and tapping the bag with her glove to end the inning.
Michelle Batts (Bloomingdale, Ill./Glenbard North) and Nicole Pauly (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) led off the top of the second with back-to-back singles, but no runs came of the situation for the 'Cats, although Erin Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) did fly out to the very base of the wall in front of the 215-foot sign in dead center.
Minnesota took the lead with a pair of scores in the bottom of the second. A leadoff double followed by two singles plated the first run, then an errant pick-off throw to third allowed the second to come home on an error.
Thompson was able to get one of the runs back all by herself. With one out in the top of the third, Minnesota starter Briana Hassett hit her with a pitch. Thompson then stole second, motoring to third when the throw sailed into center. A wild pitch in the same at-bat allowed to her slide in head first at the plate to cut NU's deficit in half, 2-1.
Minnesota did not rest in the bottom of the fourth, putting two more runs on the board to take a 4-1 lead. Delaney issued a one out walk before getting a line out to center. At that point, Jessica Smith (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon) entered the circle in relief of Delaney. Tough luck struck the sophomore when her first pitch resulted in an NU error to put runners at second and third. A pair of wild pitches allowed both unearned runs to score.
The Wildcats again collected back-to-back singles in the top of the fifth, with Jordan Wheeler (Garden Grove, Calif./Los Alamitos) pushing a ball through the left side of the infield and Thompson beating out an infield hit. A fielder's choice and a pop out ended the inning with no NU runs across, though.
Errors again hurt the Wildcats in the bottom half of the fifth. After a leadoff single, Smith retired the next Gopher on a routine grounder before a throwing error allowed the next batter to reach, pushing the runners to second and third. A single to center plated both of those runs to put Minnesota up five. Another groundout pushed the Gophers to second and third with two outs, and Delaney re-entered in the circle. Two more runners came home on wild pitches, the third and fourth runs of the game for Minnesota to come home in that manner, before a strikeout ended the frame with NU down seven, 8-1.
Smith concluded her time in the circle with 1.0 innings pitched, surrendering five runs (only one earned) on three hits and no walks.
Northwestern fought back hard in the top of the sixth. Batts and Pauly led off with sharp singles, then a walk to Erin Dyer loaded the bases. A double play ball of the bat of Kelly Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) brought home Batts, then Pauly scored when Kelly Quinn (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) singled back through the middle to make the score 8-3.
In the top half of the seventh, Adrienne Monka (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) singled hard to left with two outs before Batts drew a walk. Pauly then singled to center for her fourth hit of the game to load the bases as NU refused to quit, but the game would end there.
Pauly led NU at the plate with a career high four hits in a perfect 4-for-4 day. Batts was 2-for-3 for NU.
Delaney (22-7) took the loss to snap her 12-decision winning streak. She pitched 5.0 innings and allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits and six walks with six strikeouts.
Northwestern now has the weekend off before resuming action at 2 p.m. CT Wednesday, April 15, in a Big Ten Network doubleheader against Iowa at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.