Northwestern University Athletics
Sunday, April 15
Evanston, Ill.
1 p.m. CT
Northwestern
25-13, 8-5
14
vs
6
Ohio State
26-10, 7-6
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
6th innning6
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
Ohio State
4
0
0
2
0
0
6
6
6
Northwestern
1
2
3
2
3
3
14
9
2
Wildcats Run-Rule No. 22 Buckeyes For Second Time, 14-6 (6)
4/15/2018 6:29:00 PM | Softball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern scored runs in every single inning Sunday, blasting No. 22 Ohio State, 14-6 (6), for a second-straight run-rule victory over the Buckeyes at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.
Northwestern now is 25-13 overall on the season, 8-5 in the Big Ten. Ohio State is 26-10, 7-6 in the league. The third and final game of the series was canceled due to weather, giving the Wildcats a defacto sweep of the Buckeyes in the shortened two-game set. It was NU's first game canceled by weather in more than THREE YEARS; the last time was April 8, 2015, against UIC.
In addition, Northwestern's next schedule game at home Tuesday against UW-Green Bay has been canceled. The Wildcats return to action at 4 p.m. CT Wednesday, April 18, at Notre Dame. NU's next Big Ten series takes it on the road to Rutgers April 20-22.
BUY YOUR NORTHWESTERN TICKETS AND HERE!
In the top of the first, Ohio State jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead when it followed a pair of walks and a Northwestern error with a home run against Wildcats starter Kenna Wilkey, who was the winner in Friday's first contest of the series.
First-year slugger Rachel Lewis had an immediate answer in the bottom of the first, launching a solo home run well up the wall of Welsh-Ryan Arena beyond left field to make it a 4-1 contest. Lewis's blast was her team-leading 14th of the season and her second of the series.
After Wilkey fanned Ohio State's MVP Lilli Piper with two on and two out in the second, the Wildcats pushed more runs across in the bottom half. Marissa Panko started the inning with a hard-hit double just inside the first-base bag, then moved to third on a wild pitch later in the inning. Lily Novak joined Panko on base via a walk, then Brooke Marquez launched a fly ball to left that was caught at the very top of the fence, allowing Panko to race home on the sacrifice fly.
Now with two outs, Dunlap walked and Sabrina Rabin loaded the bases with a ball to short that was quite literally kicked for an error. The dangerous Lewis stepped up and drew a five-pitch walk to force Novak home and cut the deficit to one, 4-3, before the rally ended.
But really, the rally was only paused. Sammy Nettling walked to begin the bottom of the third, then motored around to third when Panko doubled over the head of the left fielder. Novak walked for the second time in the contest to load the bases with no outs, then Wilkey also walked to knot the score, 4-4. RBI groundouts off the bats of Marquez and Dunlap pushed two more home and gave the Wildcats the lead heading into the fourth, 6-4.
Ohio State tied the score with a two-out, two-run single in the fourth, then made a pitching change to start the bottom half. The Buckeyes lifted Shelby McCombs in favor of Morgan Ray, who was unable to stem the #B1GCats scoring tide.
Ray first induced a leadoff ground ball from Rabin that was fumbled again at shortstop for an error. Rabin took second AND third on wild pitches before scoring the go-ahead run on a Nettling fielder's choice grounder. A Panko walk pushed Nettling to second, then Novak chopped a slow rolling single back up the middle. It was too slow for anyone to be able to make a play, but the second baseman booted it far enough in front of her that Nettling turned the corner and headed for home to make it an 8-6 ballgame.
After Wilkey allowed just a single baserunner in a shutdown top of the fifth, the #B1GCats run train kept on chugga-chugga-choo-chooing along. Marquez started this rally with a booming double into the gap in right center before giving way to Abbey Boyd on the base paths. Dunlap sacrificed her to third, but the first baseman misplayed the bunt leading to Dunlap being safe at first. Dunlap swiped second before being put out on a Rabin fielder's choice grounder, then Rabin stole second herself. Lewis walked to load the bases, then Nelson shot a single into left field that plated Boyd though Rabin was thrown out at the plate as the trail runner. Nettling singled home Lewis, and Nelson came home later on a wild pitch to make it an 11-6 game after five complete.
Wilkey retired the side in order in a super-fast top of the sixth, then Northwestern would not be denied in the bottom half. With one out, Marquez singled and Dunlap laid down another sacrifice bunt that was mishandled for an error, sending Marquez to third and Dunlap to second. Rabin beat out an infield single that loaded the bases, then Lewis walked home a run and Nelson was hit by a pitch to drive in another. Nettling put a ball in play that resulted in an out at second, but it ended the game when Rabin scored to account for the final 14-6 tally.
Wilkey (11-4) picked up her second complete game win of the series, giving up six runs (five earned) on six hits and four walks with four strikeouts.
Panko was perfect at the plate to complete a 5-for-6 weekend, finishing 2-for-2 with two doubles, two walks and two runs scored. Marquez was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Lewis finished 1-for-2 with three walks, three RBIs and two runs. Nettling also filled the stat sheet, going 1-for-4 but driving in three and scoring twice. Rabin and Novak each scored a pair of runs, and Nelson drove in a couple.
Northwestern now is 25-13 overall on the season, 8-5 in the Big Ten. Ohio State is 26-10, 7-6 in the league. The third and final game of the series was canceled due to weather, giving the Wildcats a defacto sweep of the Buckeyes in the shortened two-game set. It was NU's first game canceled by weather in more than THREE YEARS; the last time was April 8, 2015, against UIC.
In addition, Northwestern's next schedule game at home Tuesday against UW-Green Bay has been canceled. The Wildcats return to action at 4 p.m. CT Wednesday, April 18, at Notre Dame. NU's next Big Ten series takes it on the road to Rutgers April 20-22.
BUY YOUR NORTHWESTERN TICKETS AND HERE!
In the top of the first, Ohio State jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead when it followed a pair of walks and a Northwestern error with a home run against Wildcats starter Kenna Wilkey, who was the winner in Friday's first contest of the series.
First-year slugger Rachel Lewis had an immediate answer in the bottom of the first, launching a solo home run well up the wall of Welsh-Ryan Arena beyond left field to make it a 4-1 contest. Lewis's blast was her team-leading 14th of the season and her second of the series.
After Wilkey fanned Ohio State's MVP Lilli Piper with two on and two out in the second, the Wildcats pushed more runs across in the bottom half. Marissa Panko started the inning with a hard-hit double just inside the first-base bag, then moved to third on a wild pitch later in the inning. Lily Novak joined Panko on base via a walk, then Brooke Marquez launched a fly ball to left that was caught at the very top of the fence, allowing Panko to race home on the sacrifice fly.
Now with two outs, Dunlap walked and Sabrina Rabin loaded the bases with a ball to short that was quite literally kicked for an error. The dangerous Lewis stepped up and drew a five-pitch walk to force Novak home and cut the deficit to one, 4-3, before the rally ended.
But really, the rally was only paused. Sammy Nettling walked to begin the bottom of the third, then motored around to third when Panko doubled over the head of the left fielder. Novak walked for the second time in the contest to load the bases with no outs, then Wilkey also walked to knot the score, 4-4. RBI groundouts off the bats of Marquez and Dunlap pushed two more home and gave the Wildcats the lead heading into the fourth, 6-4.
Ohio State tied the score with a two-out, two-run single in the fourth, then made a pitching change to start the bottom half. The Buckeyes lifted Shelby McCombs in favor of Morgan Ray, who was unable to stem the #B1GCats scoring tide.
Ray first induced a leadoff ground ball from Rabin that was fumbled again at shortstop for an error. Rabin took second AND third on wild pitches before scoring the go-ahead run on a Nettling fielder's choice grounder. A Panko walk pushed Nettling to second, then Novak chopped a slow rolling single back up the middle. It was too slow for anyone to be able to make a play, but the second baseman booted it far enough in front of her that Nettling turned the corner and headed for home to make it an 8-6 ballgame.
After Wilkey allowed just a single baserunner in a shutdown top of the fifth, the #B1GCats run train kept on chugga-chugga-choo-chooing along. Marquez started this rally with a booming double into the gap in right center before giving way to Abbey Boyd on the base paths. Dunlap sacrificed her to third, but the first baseman misplayed the bunt leading to Dunlap being safe at first. Dunlap swiped second before being put out on a Rabin fielder's choice grounder, then Rabin stole second herself. Lewis walked to load the bases, then Nelson shot a single into left field that plated Boyd though Rabin was thrown out at the plate as the trail runner. Nettling singled home Lewis, and Nelson came home later on a wild pitch to make it an 11-6 game after five complete.
Wilkey retired the side in order in a super-fast top of the sixth, then Northwestern would not be denied in the bottom half. With one out, Marquez singled and Dunlap laid down another sacrifice bunt that was mishandled for an error, sending Marquez to third and Dunlap to second. Rabin beat out an infield single that loaded the bases, then Lewis walked home a run and Nelson was hit by a pitch to drive in another. Nettling put a ball in play that resulted in an out at second, but it ended the game when Rabin scored to account for the final 14-6 tally.
Wilkey (11-4) picked up her second complete game win of the series, giving up six runs (five earned) on six hits and four walks with four strikeouts.
Panko was perfect at the plate to complete a 5-for-6 weekend, finishing 2-for-2 with two doubles, two walks and two runs scored. Marquez was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Lewis finished 1-for-2 with three walks, three RBIs and two runs. Nettling also filled the stat sheet, going 1-for-4 but driving in three and scoring twice. Rabin and Novak each scored a pair of runs, and Nelson drove in a couple.
••••••
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: Wilkey, Kenna (11-4)
L: Ray, Morgan (14-6)
Batting:
HR: Goodwin, Ashley 1
RBI: Piper, Lilli 2 ; Goodwin, Ashley 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Sturgeon, Bailee 1 ; Piper, Lilli 1 ; McCombs, Shelby 1 ; Goodwin, Ashley 1 ; Balich, Amy 1 ; Betschel, Bri 1
Batting:
2B: Panko, Marissa 2 ; Marquez, Brooke 1
HR: Lewis, Rachel 1
RBI: Lewis, Rachel 3 ; Nelson, Morgan 2 ; Nettling, Sammy 3 ; Wilkey, Kenna 1 ; Marquez, Brooke 2 ; Dunlap, Mac 1
SH: Dunlap, Mac 2
SF: Marquez, Brooke 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rabin, Sabrina 2 ; Lewis, Rachel 2 ; Nelson, Morgan 1 ; Nettling, Sammy 2 ; Panko, Marissa 2 ; Novak, Lily 2 ; Marquez, Brooke 1 ; Dunlap, Mac 1 ; Boyd, Abbey 1
SB: Rabin, Sabrina 1 ; Nelson, Morgan 1 ; Novak, Lily 1 ; Dunlap, Mac 1
HBP: Nelson, Morgan 1
Game Leaders
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
5
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
2
H
1
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
OF
/ SoftballIF/OF
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballIF/OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballSoftball - Marina Mason Tosses Complete Game Shutout, 'Cats Blank Missouri in Clearwater (2/14/26)
Saturday, February 14
She Caught That!? 🤯
Friday, February 13
Softball - Lauren Boyd Tosses Complete Game Shutout, 'Cats Blank Kentucky in NCAA Regional (5/16/25)
Friday, May 16
Softball - 'Cats Storm Back, Secure Series Victory at No. 8 UCLA (5/4/25)
Sunday, May 04
