Feb. 19, 2010
Box Score
HENDERSON, Nev. -- No. 21 Northwestern built a five-run lead, all on two-out base hits, Friday morning against No. 10 Georgia Tech, but the Yellow Jackets battled back with five runs in the sixth inning to defeat the Wildcats, 9-6.
The loss drops Northwestern to 2-4 on the season while Georgia Tech now is 5-0.
Robin Thompson (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King) reached base to lead off the game for the Wildcats when the throw to first got away from the fielder causing the umpire to change his punch out to a safe sign mid-sequence. She then immediately stole second base. One out later, Adrienne Monka (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) was issued a four-pitch walk before both runners moved up a bag on a productive groundout by Michelle Batts (Bloomingdale, Ill./Glenbard North).
Emily Haug (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) then laced a full-count single into right field to score both Thompson and Monka, who slid in just under the tag on the throw home, to give Northwestern an early 2-0 advantage.
After Delaney set the Yellow Jackets down in order in the bottom of the first inclusive of her 996th career strikeout, Northwestern hung a 3-spot on Tech starter Hope Rush in the second. Kelly Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) reached base via a one-out infield single, then moved to second when Emily Allard (Antioch, Calif./Deer Valley) was hit by a two-out pitch. Monka then deposited an 0-2 offering over the fence in right to give Northwestern a five-run cushion, 5-0.
The blast was Monka's second of the year and the 21st of her career, putting her in seventh place alone in Northwestern history. The runs were the first of the earned variety given up by Hope in 2010 after the freshman earned ACC Pitcher of the Week honors last weekend with a pair of shutouts, including one over then-No. 3 Florida.
Delaney struck out the side in the bottom of the second to make it four-straight K's in the game and 999 for her career.
Georgia Tech found the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. The leadoff batter reached base, then moved to third on a wild pitch and a groundout before a one-out single to center made NU's lead four, 5-1. An error and another single into right that Aly Euler (River Forest, Ill./Oak Park River Forest) barely missed with a headlong dive brought two more Yellow Jackets around.
Delaney recovered with a three-pitch strikeout of Jessica Sinclair -- the final pitch a swing-and-miss on a change -- for career K number 1,000 for the senior. A grounder to short ended the frame with NU still on top, 5-3.
Northwestern quickly got one of the runs back. Dyer led off the fourth with a single between the infielder and outfielder in center, then moved to second and third on successive sacrifices from Thompson and Allard. Monka followed with another two-out base hit, this one a fister over the head of the shortstop, to plate Dyer and make the score 6-3.
In what quickly became a back-and-forth game, Georgia Tech answered with a one-out solo home run in the bottom half of the fourth to again make NU's lead two, 6-4.
In the top of the sixth, Allard drew a one-out walk before moving to second on Monka's third base knock of the game, a single into center. Both runners moved up on a groundout from Batts, but this time NU was unable to deliver the two-out base hit.
In the bottom of the frame, Georgia Tech loaded the bases against Delaney on a walk and two singles. Meghan Lamberth (Wildwood, Mo./Lafayette) then entered the circle in relief and plunked the first batter to make it 6-5. With Canadian National Team member Jen Yee now at the plate -- and batting .727 on the young season -- Lamberth got a foul out for out No. 2, but a grand slam from the next batter put the Yellow Jackets in front, 9-6.
Delaney (1-3) was charged with seven runs (six earned) in 5.1 innings of work. She allowed five hits and three walks while fanning six. She has 1,001 K's in her career. Lamberth went 0.2 innings, giving up two runs on one hit and an HBP with one strikeout.
Monka finished 3-for-3 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Dyer had two hits and two runs while Haug drove in a pair.
Northwestern returns to action at 5:45 p.m. CT today against No. 13 Oklahoma.