Feb. 11, 2011
Site: Tempe, Ariz. (Tempe Sports Complex NW Field)
Score: Northwestern 11, Bradley 2 (5)
Records: NU (1-1), Bradley (0-2)
Next NU Event: Feb. 12, 2011 -- vs. Western Michigan (Tempe Sports Complex), 4:30 p.m. CT
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Northwestern pounced early Friday night against fellow Illinois program Bradley at the Kajikawa Classic, sending 13 batters to the plate in a seven-run first inning and never looking back during a 11-2 (5) victory over the Braves.
Northwestern moves to 1-1 on the season after splitting its 2011 opening day contests. Bradley is 0-2 on the young season with the loss.
After Northwestern starter Meghan Lamberth (Wildwood, Mo./Lafayette) retired the Bradley side in order with just eight pitches, the Wildcats immediately went to work on offense -- sending 13 batters to the plate and scoring seven runs on five hits and an error. Emily Allard (Antioch, Calif./Deer Valley) reached base as the leadoff 'Cat after dropping down a nice bunt and forcing an errant throw to first, finding herself on second after the error. A wild pitch moved Allard to third, then Kristin Scharkey (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza) worked a full-count walk to put runners at the corners.
After Scharkey swiped second, Adrienne Monka (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) sent a bounding ball back through the middle to plate both Wildcats, though Monka was thrown out at second on the play after the throw home. With the score now 2-0, freshman Marisa Bast (Orange, Calif./Villa Park) pured a double that one-hopped and threatened to flatten the breakaway fence in right center. Michelle Batts (Bloomingdale, Ill./Glenbard North) then earned an unintentional, intentional walk to put a pair of runners on base.
After a wild pitch moved both runners up, Mari Majam (Pine Valley, Calif./Mountain Empire) launched a two-run triple to the base of the left-center field fence in her first-career at-bat to extend NU's cushion to 4-0. Majam's knock chased Bradley starter Maddie Lynch-Crumrine from the circle in favor of Lindsay Hufeld, who promptly nailed Lauren Ackerman (St. Louis, Mo./Home schooled) with a pitch.
After Ackerman stole second, Robin Thompson (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King) recorded a rare two-run bunt single when she perfectly rolled the ball by the pitcher, allowing both Majam and Ackerman to score and make it a 6-0 game. A bunt single from Allard, then a walk to Scharkey loaded the bases before Monka was hit by a pitch to force in Thompson and make the score 7-0 before the frame came to an end.
Lamberth completed a perfect first trip through the Bradley order in the second and third innings, getting help on the final out of the second when Scharkey tracked down a liner on the run in the right-center field gap.
In the bottom of the third, Allard dumped a double into left field with two outs, then swiped third base. Scharkey made a bid to drive her home, but her own looper toward left found the glove of a lunging shortstop to end the inning with the score still 7-0.
Lamberth's perfect game bid ended with a leadoff walk in the top of the fourth. That runner moved to second on a wild pitch and third on a groundout before scoring on a second groundout to cut NU's lead to 7-1. Despite not needing a hit to score the run, Bradley did end Lamberth's no-no bid with back-to-back two-out singles and a bases-loading error. Lamberth then threw a beautiful full-count pitch to the subsequent batter to catch her looking and end the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, Monka was hit by a pitch to lead things off. She gave way to pinch runner Amanda Mehrsheikh (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central), then Bast battled through a 10-pitch at-bat only to be hit by the 10th offering. Batts drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases with no outs, giving way to pinch runner Paige Tonz (Peoria, Ill./Centennial).
Majam then laced the first pitch she saw into right field for a two-run single to push the game into run-rule territory, 9-1. With Tonz at third and Majam at second following the throw home on the previous play, a wild pitch plated Tonz before Kelly Quinn (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) dropped a single behind the bag at second to send Majam home and make the score 11-1. At that point, Bradley replaced Hufeld in the circle with Mackenzie Camp.
With one out and Quinn on first, pinch hitter Olivia Zolke (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Mira Costa) drew a walk before yielding first base back to Thompson. Pinch hitter Sammy Albanese (Belmont, Calif./Castilleja) also drew a walk to load the bases, but a liner into center off the bat of Jenny Tyler (Glendale, Ariz./Deer Valley) was caught and Thompson was double up at second to end the inning.
Lamberth surrendered two hits and there was an error in the top of the fifth leading to a run, but Northwestern locked it down to close out the game in five innings.
Lamberth (1-0) earned the win in the circle, going the distance and allowing two runs on four hits with a walk and five strikeouts.
Northwestern returns to action at 5:30 p.m. CT Saturday, Feb. 12, against Western Michigan at the Kajikawa Classic. NU then immediately faces No. 23 Oklahoma State afterward.
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