Friday, February 12
Tempe, Ariz.
3 p.m. CT/2 p.m. MT
Northwestern
2-0
22
vs
4
Virginia
2-1
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Northwestern
0
1
0
7
14
22
21
1
Virginia
2
0
0
0
2
4
8
4
Photo by: Stephen J. Carrera
#B1GCats Take Torch to Record Book in 22-4 (5) Win Over Virginia
2/12/2016 7:06:00 PM | Softball
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Northwestern shattered three school records in a 22-4 (5) victory over Virginia Friday at the Kajikawa Classic that was propelled by an unbelievable 14-run onslaught in the fifth inning.
Northwestern improves to 2-0 on the season with the win while Virginia now is 2-1. Entering this game, both teams had run-ruled all of their previous opponents (NU defeated UC Riverside, 15-3 (5), earlier Friday while UVA topped Utah State 9-0 (5) and Boise State 12-4 (5) on Thursday).
NU returns to action at the Kajikawa Classic at 3:30 p.m. CT/2:30 p.m. MT tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 13, against No. 8 Tennessee.
Northwestern's 14-run fifth inning broke the school mark for runs in a single frame, previously set with a 12-run inning against UIC in 2014. The Wildcats' 22 runs overall broke the prior school mark of 19 set in games against Detroit in 1983 and Wisconsin in 2015. NU's 21 hits in the game broke the established record of 19 set in the 2015 tilt with the Badgers.
The game actually was quite tight early on and Northwestern trailed, 2-1, entering the fourth inning.
Virginia opened the scoring with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first against Wildcats starter Kristen Wood before adding a two-out run-scoring single to take a 2-0 edge. Northwestern countered right away in the top of the second. Amy Letourneau led off with a single into left field, alertly taking second when the fielder booted it. Sammy Nettling followed with a pure-muscle jam-shot single up the middle, and Letourneau raced around third aggressively to make it home ahead of the throw, cutting UVA's lead to 2-1 heading to the bottom of the second.
Virginia got a pair of runners on in that second frame, but more of note Wood fanned the side to reach five strikeouts for the game and an even 500 for her career. Wood ranks eighth in Northwestern history in strikeouts.
Northwestern took a little luck in the top of the fourth and surged into the lead with a seven-run explosion. With one out, Aubrie May hit a towering pop up just into the right-centerfield grass, but confusion reigned and it fell in unmolested for a double. Anna Petersen followed with a liner into right field that allowed May to race around and score, tying the game. Petersen moved to second on the play when the ball was bobbled, a key move because Brooke Marquez doubled on the very next pitch and Petersen scored to give NU a 3-2 lead.
The inning continued with Krista Williams singling and Sabrina Rabin working an 0-2 count all the way back to a walk to load the bases. Then came the big blows: Andrea Filler roped a two-run single into left field before Letourneau unloaded everything with a towering home run to left center -- the 30th home run of her career -- to make it an 8-2 ballgame.
After a shutdown inning from Wood, NU's scoring train got right back on the tracks and choo choo'd its way into the record books. It took until the SIXTEENTH (16th) batter for the Wildcats to record an out.
May led off with a booming ground-rule double to right center -- her third double of the day after also doubling Friday morning against Riverside -- before Petersen once again drove her in with a single. Panko entered to run, Marquez walked and Williams reached safely on a fielder's choice that retired no one to load the bags before the big hits once again came in bunches.
Brianna LeBeau entered as a pinch hitter and scorched a two-run single, then freshman Morgan Nelson crushed a huge three-run home run for the first blast of her collegiate career, making it a 14-2 game. Later, with the bases loaded again, May drew a walk that forced in a run, Panko singled home a run, Marquez doubled home a pair, Fran Strub knocked one in on a ball that was booted for an error, then freshman Paulina Anasis put on the finishes touches with a bases-clearing, three-run double.
Nicole Bond entered the game in the circle in relief of Wood in the fifth, seeing her first game action since 2014 after missing all of last year with an injury. Though Virginia added two runs to its total, Bond did coax a double play ball and ended the game with a strikeout.
Wood (1-0) got the win, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk with seven strikeouts.
For individual offensive stat lines, check out the box score. It's a fun read!
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, check us out on Instagram, visit our Social Media page and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To get involved with the #B1GCats, become a season-ticket holder or join the Wildcat Fund!
Northwestern improves to 2-0 on the season with the win while Virginia now is 2-1. Entering this game, both teams had run-ruled all of their previous opponents (NU defeated UC Riverside, 15-3 (5), earlier Friday while UVA topped Utah State 9-0 (5) and Boise State 12-4 (5) on Thursday).
NU returns to action at the Kajikawa Classic at 3:30 p.m. CT/2:30 p.m. MT tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 13, against No. 8 Tennessee.
Northwestern's 14-run fifth inning broke the school mark for runs in a single frame, previously set with a 12-run inning against UIC in 2014. The Wildcats' 22 runs overall broke the prior school mark of 19 set in games against Detroit in 1983 and Wisconsin in 2015. NU's 21 hits in the game broke the established record of 19 set in the 2015 tilt with the Badgers.
The game actually was quite tight early on and Northwestern trailed, 2-1, entering the fourth inning.
Virginia opened the scoring with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first against Wildcats starter Kristen Wood before adding a two-out run-scoring single to take a 2-0 edge. Northwestern countered right away in the top of the second. Amy Letourneau led off with a single into left field, alertly taking second when the fielder booted it. Sammy Nettling followed with a pure-muscle jam-shot single up the middle, and Letourneau raced around third aggressively to make it home ahead of the throw, cutting UVA's lead to 2-1 heading to the bottom of the second.
Virginia got a pair of runners on in that second frame, but more of note Wood fanned the side to reach five strikeouts for the game and an even 500 for her career. Wood ranks eighth in Northwestern history in strikeouts.
Northwestern took a little luck in the top of the fourth and surged into the lead with a seven-run explosion. With one out, Aubrie May hit a towering pop up just into the right-centerfield grass, but confusion reigned and it fell in unmolested for a double. Anna Petersen followed with a liner into right field that allowed May to race around and score, tying the game. Petersen moved to second on the play when the ball was bobbled, a key move because Brooke Marquez doubled on the very next pitch and Petersen scored to give NU a 3-2 lead.
The inning continued with Krista Williams singling and Sabrina Rabin working an 0-2 count all the way back to a walk to load the bases. Then came the big blows: Andrea Filler roped a two-run single into left field before Letourneau unloaded everything with a towering home run to left center -- the 30th home run of her career -- to make it an 8-2 ballgame.
After a shutdown inning from Wood, NU's scoring train got right back on the tracks and choo choo'd its way into the record books. It took until the SIXTEENTH (16th) batter for the Wildcats to record an out.
May led off with a booming ground-rule double to right center -- her third double of the day after also doubling Friday morning against Riverside -- before Petersen once again drove her in with a single. Panko entered to run, Marquez walked and Williams reached safely on a fielder's choice that retired no one to load the bags before the big hits once again came in bunches.
Brianna LeBeau entered as a pinch hitter and scorched a two-run single, then freshman Morgan Nelson crushed a huge three-run home run for the first blast of her collegiate career, making it a 14-2 game. Later, with the bases loaded again, May drew a walk that forced in a run, Panko singled home a run, Marquez doubled home a pair, Fran Strub knocked one in on a ball that was booted for an error, then freshman Paulina Anasis put on the finishes touches with a bases-clearing, three-run double.
Nicole Bond entered the game in the circle in relief of Wood in the fifth, seeing her first game action since 2014 after missing all of last year with an injury. Though Virginia added two runs to its total, Bond did coax a double play ball and ended the game with a strikeout.
Wood (1-0) got the win, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk with seven strikeouts.
For individual offensive stat lines, check out the box score. It's a fun read!
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, check us out on Instagram, visit our Social Media page and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To get involved with the #B1GCats, become a season-ticket holder or join the Wildcat Fund!
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wood, Kristen (1-0)
L: Erika Osherow (2-1)
Batting:
2B: Anasis, Paulina 1 ; May, Aubrie 2 ; Marquez, Brooke 2
HR: Nelson, Morgan 1 ; Letourneau, Amy 1
RBI: LeBeau, Brianna 2 ; Nelson, Morgan 3 ; Filler, Andrea 2 ; Anasis, Paulina 3 ; Letourneau, Amy 3 ; Nettling, Sammy 1 ; May, Aubrie 1 ; Petersen, Anna 2 ; Panko, Marissa 1 ; Marquez, Brooke 3 ; Strub, Fran 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rabin, Sabrina 3 ; Nelson, Morgan 2 ; Filler, Andrea 2 ; Letourneau, Amy 2 ; Boyd, Abbey 1 ; Novak, Lily 1 ; May, Aubrie 3 ; Petersen, Anna 1 ; Panko, Marissa 2 ; Marquez, Brooke 2 ; Williams, Krista 2 ; Strub, Fran 1
CS: Rabin, Sabrina 1
Batting:
2B: Katie Park 2
HR: Aimee Chapdelaine 1 ; Iyana Hughes 1
RBI: Aimee Chapdelaine 1 ; Iyana Hughes 2 ; Katie Park 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Aimee Chapdelaine 1 ; Lauren Heintzelmann 1 ; Iyana Hughes 2
SB: Iyana Hughes 1
HBP: Lauren Heintzelmann 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
3
RBI
3
AB
3
R
3
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
IF/OF
/ SoftballP/1B
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF/C
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
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