Northwestern WSB Improves to 11-1

The Northwestern Wildcats went 5-1 this weekend to raise their record to 11-1 on the season. The Wildcats swept the University of Indiana and took two of three from Ohio State.

This stretch started with a double header sweep of Indiana. The first game, an 8-0 win, was the perfect mix of hitting and pitching.

Danielle Williams allowed only two hits and struck out seven in her five innings. Williams has yet to allow a run in 18 innings of pitching this season.

The Cats jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on the strength of baserunning by Emma Bartz and Mac Dunlap. In the third inning, Rachel Lewis and Maeve Nelson hit back-to-back doubles, followed by hits from Angela Zedak and Nikki Cuchran put the Cats up 6-0. Jordan Rudd closed out the scoring with two RBIs in the fourth inning to make it 8-0.

The nightcap, an 8-1 win, was almost a copy of Game One. The Wildcats plated six runs before Indiana even batted. Rudd's triple scored Maeve Nelson and Rachel Lewis. Two passed balls made it 4-0, followed by a two run double by Hannah Cady, pushing It to 6-0. First year pitcher Lauren Boyd improved to 3-0, allowing just three hits, striking ut five and giving up only an unearned run.

On Friday, Northwestern completed the sweep against Indiana with a 1-0 victory. The pitching stayed hot, although the offense cooled off, but the result was still a win.

The game was scoreless in the sixth when Nelson drove in Skyler Shellmyer for the only run of the game. Thatw as all Northwestern needed though, as Williams kept up her torrid pitching. Williams struck out six and gave up only two hits, while extending her scoreless streak to 25 innings.

On Saturday, the Wildcats suffered the first loss of their season in the first game of a doubleheader against Ohio State. The loss put an end to the best start in NU softball history.

The Wildcats were down 3-0 before Lewis hit a 2 run homer in the fourth. Ohio State added one more to make it 4-2, where it ended. Boyd struck out three and allowed four runs in the losing effort.

Northwestern's offense returned in the second game, resulting in a 9-0 clubbing of the Buckeyes. The Wildcats exploded in the third inning. With Shellmyer on base, Morgan Newport singled to start the six run inning. A hit batsman and a wild pitch tacked on two more runs, before Zedak drove in two more with a double. In the fourth, a two-RBI double from Newport and a double from Kendall Peterson plated three more.

On the mound, Williams improved to 6-0. She struck out six, extending her scoreless streak to 30 innings.

The Wildcats ended this stretch with a 3-2 victory over Ohio State. After spotting the Buckeyes a two run lead, Northwestern came alive in the seventh inning for an exciting come-from-behind win. With Shellmyer and Lewis on base, Rudd singled to bring in the first run. Newport then tripled in two more to make it 3-2.

The other story of the day was Williams, who improved to a stunning 7-0, but finally gave up her first runs of the season. All told, she gave up two runs on five hits and three walks. She also struck out 10.

The Wildcats are off until Friday, March 26, when they host the Wisconsin Badgers at Sharon J. Drysdale Field in Evanston. Wisconsin is 4-8 and also off until coming to Northwestern.

The Wildcats were 47-13 in 2019. In last year's strange season, they were 11-12, but 2019 is more indicative of the talent on this team. With Williams a lockdown pitcher and a solid offense, the Wildcats are poised to have a great year.