EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern used a pair of big flies to take advantage of base runners galore during a nine-run third inning Wednesday in the first game of a doubleheader against Illinois at Sharon J. Drysdale Field, using the output to run-rule the Illini, 12-4 (5).
Northwestern (22-17, 10-5 Big Ten) and Illinois (22-22, 10-6 Big Ten) return to action immediately in game two of their midweek doubleheader live on BTN.
After a 1-2-3 top of the first inning for Northwestern starter Kristen Wood (Trevor, Wis./Wilmot Union), Illinois' starter Jade Vecvanags had some trouble with her control. Reigning Big Ten Player of the Week Sabrina Rabin (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) drew a four-pitch walk to start the bottom of the frame. She moved to second on a passed ball, third on a wild pitch and then Andrea DiPrima (Arlington Heights, Ill./Buffalo Grove) worked a walk of her own. One out later, DiPrima took off for second and arrived safely for the first stolen base of her career -- though Sammy Nettling (Tucson, Ariz./Canyon del Oro) then walked to load the bases before Olivia Duehr (Antioch, Ill./Antioch) worked a two-out walk of her own to force Rabin home for a 1-0 Northwestern lead before the inning ended.
Though Illinois picked up the first hit of the game with a one-out double in the top of the second, Wood struck out the side otherwise. In the top of the third, however, the Illini got a two-out walk, single and then a home run to take a 3-1 lead in the game.
In the bottom of the third, Northwestern exploded for nine runs on a combination of free base runners and big flies for its most runs in a single inning this season. The Wildcats sent 14 batters to the plate, received six walks or hit by pitches, one key two-out error and clobbered a pair of home runs.
Andrea Filler (Fort Wayne, Ind./Bishop Dwenger) led off with her 10th home run of the season into the right-field bleachers, cutting the Wildcats' deficit to 3-2. Despite being NU's sixth base runner in the game, Filler was the first to record a base hit.
The inning continued with Nettling being hit by a pitch before Julia Kuhn (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South) walked and Duehr singled into left to load the bases, still with no outs. Brianna LeBeau (Worth, Ill./H.L. Richards) then stepped into the batter's box and was hit by Vecvanags' very first pitch to force pinch runner Abbey Boyd (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) across the plate, tying the game, before an Anna Edwards (La Canada, Calif./La Canada) put NU back in front, 4-3.
Northwestern continued to take advantage of free bases from Illinois to extend its lead. With two outs, DiPrima hit a grounder the shortstop, who attempted to get the inning-ending force at second, but her throw sailed wide to allow LeBeau and Edwards to cross the plate. After Illinois replaced Vecvanags in the circle with Shelese Arnold, the first pitch to Nettling was wild to bring another run across before Nettling went wild herself, blasting a three-run home run off the wall of McGaw Hall to make the score 10-3.
Nettling's home run was her fifth of the season in her 19th game played, and it brought to an end the scoring in the inning.
Wood worked the proverbial shutdown inning in the top of the fourth to set the stage for the Wildcats to push the game into run-rule territory. Brooke Marquez (Garden Grove, Calif./Pacifica) began the frame with a walk and gave way to pinch runner Krista Williams (Pleasanton, Calif./Amador Valley). Williams motored around to third when Edwards singled to right, with Marissa Panko (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy) then entering to run for Edwards and stealing second base.
On the next pitch, DiPrima ripped a single into right that scored Williams, though Panko was thrown out at the plate. Filler then hit a ball high in the air toward center that the wind bent back toward right center where it fell between three fielders for an RBI double to push the scored to 12-3 entering the fifth.
Though Illinois got one run back in the top of the fifth, DiPrima retrieved a two-out double in the right-center gap, fired to LeBeau who relayed to the plate to put out a runner trying to score to end the game early.
Wood (11-7) picked up the win, going 5.0 complete and allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks with five strikeouts.
Rabin, DiPrima and Filler all scored two runs in the game (despite Rabin going 0-for-3) while Filler collected a pair of hits and two RBIs. Nettling drove in three and Duehr was 2-for-2.
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