FULLERTON, Calif. – Northwestern fell behind South Carolina by three runs midway through a Friday night showdown at the Judi Garman Classic, but the Wildcats stormed back to defeat the Gamecocks, 6-4.
Northwestern's current winning streak now is four games, improving the Wildcats to 5-10 on the year. South Carolina falls to 14-3 after its Garman debut. Earlier in the day, NU defeated a 13-1 Cal squad, giving it two wins Friday over opponents that entered with a combined 27-3 record.
The Wildcats are back for two games tomorrow against Fresno State and No. 3 Florida starting at 11:30 a.m. CT/9:30 a.m. PT.
For the fifth-consecutive game, Northwestern scored in the first inning to take an early lead. This time, Sabrina Rabin led off with a single in the top of the inning and stole second. One out later, Kenzie Ellis shot a single back through the middle to bring Rabin around for a 1-0 Wildcats edge.
South Carolina struck right back in the bottom half of the first, getting three-straight doubles against Northwestern starter Nicole Bond to jump into a 2-1 lead. Morgan Newport entered in relief of Bond and got a lineout and a foul out to strand her inherited runner.
In the bottom of the third, South Carolina built a 4-1 lead. The Gamecocks loaded the bases with no outs on a pair of singles and a walk, then a third single scored a run. Newport was able to limit the rally to just one more run on an RBI groundout, helped by Alcy Bush fielding a grounder at third and getting an out at the plate.
Northwestern cut the deficit back down to 4-2 after South Carolina made a pair of errors to start the fourth. Sammy Nettling first put a ball in play that the shortstop booted before the throw on a Brooke Marquez bunt was launched into right field to allow Nettling to score. One out later, Bush smashed a ball to deep right field, but the fielder made an over-the-shoulder catch, spun and fired to first to double up Marquez and end the rally.
No worries, though! After Newport and the Northwestern infield (specifically a diving catch from Marquez at second) stranded two Gamecocks in scoring position in the bottom of the fourth, the Wildcats tied the game in the fifth.
South Carolina began the frame by replacing starting pitcher Jessica Elliott in the circle with Nickie Blue. With one out, both Rabin and Krista Williams beat out infield singles before moving up a base on a passed ball. Ellis then sent a booming double to the base of the wall in left-center drive both in and knot the score, 4-4.
Newport threw up a 1-2-3 shutdown inning in the bottom of the fifth, and Northwestern continued to surge with a two-out rally in the top of the sixth. Bush started it with a single into left field before racing all the way around to score when Marissa Panko pulverized a pitch to the wall in right-center for a double to give NU the lead, 5-4. Rabin followed with a ball that was muffed by the shortstop, allowing Panko to get to third, then Williams singled once again to plate Panko and extend the edge to 6-4.
South Carolina re-entered its starter Elliott to after the Williams hit, and the original Gamecock fanned the next Wildcat to end the rally.
South Carolina looked ready to rally itself in the bottom of the sixth with a leadoff double against Newport. The freshman, however, iced the veins and got a pop up to herself, a groundout to third and a comebacker to strand the runner at third and keep NU on top by two.
Northwestern put two on base in the top of the seventh, but was unable to extend its advantage. In the bottom half, the first batter hit a ball on the screws RIGHT to Rabin in center field for the first out. The next two Gamecocks, however, singled to put runners at first and second. Newport responded with a swinging K for the second out of the frame before a bizarre ending.
The next batter hit a ball destined for right field and a base hit, but it struck the runner leaving first base. By rule, the runner was out on contact with the ball and the game ending with Northwestern on top.
Newport (2-2) earned the win in relief with guts and gusto, scattering 10 hits and a walk while giving up just two runs. She fanned two and left nine Gamecocks on base in 6.1 innings. Bond was charged with two runs on three hits in her start.
Rabin, Williams and Ellis all collected a pair of hits in the game for Northwestern. Rabin stole two bases and scored twice while Ellis drove in three.