Northwestern now is 17-22 on the season, 5-7 in the Big Ten after its loss. Minnesota improves to 24-15 on the year and also is 5-7 in the conference with its win. The loss is the first for the Wildcats in three extra-inning affairs this season.
Minnesota took the game's first lead, 1-0, in the top of the first on a leadoff single, a sacrifice and then a bloop double that fell inside the left-field line where no 'Cat could corral it. NU starter Meghan Lamberth (Wildwood, Mo./Lafayette) limited the damage nicely with early-count outs from the subsequent Gopher batters.
Northwestern struck back to take a 2-1 lead in its half of the initial inning. On the first pitch, junior Emily Allard (Antioch, Calif./Deer Valley) was hit by a pitch before moving to second when the throw toward the lead runner on a one-out Adrienne Monka (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) grounder sailed high for an error. Monka then was erased at second on a Marisa Bast (Orange, Calif./Villa Park) fielder's choice grounder. With two outs, Bast swiped second base to put Wildcats and second and third before freshman Amy Letourneau (Laguna Niguel, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) ripped a single into right to drive in both Allard and Bast. Bast's slide on the play was tremendous, avoiding the tag of the catcher who held the ball well before Bast's arrival and slipping her hand onto the plate behind the swipe.
A two-out Gopher single in the top of the second drove in a leadoff hit by pitch to tie the game before an RBI double gave Minnesota the lead back, 3-2, before both teams began trading zeroes and rally escape acts.
The Gophers loaded the bases in the top of the third with one out, but the Wildcats crushed the rally when Lamberth gloved a comebacker and fired home to catcher Paige Tonz (Peoria, Ariz./Centennial) to start a 1-2-3 inning-ending double play.
Monka made a bid to tie the game with a two-out bomb in the bottom of the third, but her hard-hit shot to dead center was gloved one pace in front of the fence to end the inning. In the bottom of the fourth, Bast was victimized to lead off the inning by a tremendous over-the-shoulder diving catch from the Gopher shortstop, aiding Minnesota in again limiting NU's offensive chances after the first inning.
In the top of the fifth, Minnesota put a pair of two-out runners on base against Lamberth, who again shut down the rally with the help of a nice short-hop pick-and-throw by Allard at short, sending the game still 3-2 to the fifth.
Northwestern put together its best rally since the first in the bottom half of that frame, getting a skillful two-out single from Kristin Scharkey (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza) who then stole second ahead of an Allard single which allowed Scharkey to reach third. Allard stole second herself, but Minnesota was able to perform an escape act of its own to keep its razor-thin one-run edge.
The Gophers collected a pair of one-out singles in the top of the sixth, prompting head coach Kate Drohan to insert Sammy Albanese (Belmont, Calif./Castilleja) into the circle in relief. The next batter immediately walked on four pitches to load the bases, but Albanese bore down on the No. 3 and 4 batters for the Gophers, getting both to hit grounders to Allard at short to escape the jam unscathed and keep NU within a run.
In the bottom of the sixth, Northwestern finally closed the gap it had been keeping close for so long. With two outs, Letourneau got low and sent the ball high up into the gusty wind blowing to right, which pushed it deep over the fence for a game-tying solo home run. The blast was Letourneau's fifth of the season.
Of course Minnesota threatened again in the top of the seventh, and yet again Northwestern's staff was up to the task. A two-out single followed by a double put runners at second and third before Albanese went to a full count on the next batter. The payoff pitch was downright disgusting, inducing a swing-and-miss to end the frame.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Allard ripped a single into centerfield before stealing second on a strikeout at the plate. Minnesota elected to intentionally walk the two-time All-American Monka, a move that paid off when the throw on a Bast chopper to short beat her to the bag by a split second to send the contest to extra frames.
The first two Gophers to the plate in the top of the eighth inning reached against Albanese before a double steal moved them both up a bag with no outs. A pair of Northwestern errors contributed to three Minnesota runs in the frame, giving the visitors a 6-3 edge.
In the bottom of the inning, Letourneau worked a full count leadoff walk. She moved to second on a one out Albanese groundout, but that was all the further NU could get in the final inning.
Lamberth started the game and went 5.1 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and four walks with three strikeouts. Albanese (1-5) was tagged with the loss, giving up three runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks with a strikeout.
Letourneau led Northwestern at the plate with a 2-for-3 day, driving in three runs. Allard also had two hits and two steals.
Northwestern again has the week off from nonconference opponents, returning to action April 21-22 in a Big Ten series at Indiana. Saturday, April 21, will be a single game while Sunday will be a doubleheader televised live on the Big Ten Network.
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