Saturday, February 22
Palm Springs, CA
2 p.m. CT
Northwestern
5-8
11
vs
6
Long Beach State
6-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Northwestern
0
0
2
0
2
5
2
11
9
2
Long Beach St.
3
0
0
0
2
1
0
6
9
2
Late Rally Lifts Wildcats to 11-6 Win at Mary Nutter
2/22/2020 7:35:00 PM | Softball
CATHEDRAL CITY, CALIF. – No. 25 Northwestern capped off its Saturday doubleheader at the Mary Nutter Classic with an 11-6 victory over Long Beach State after the Wildcats scored seven runs in the game's final two innings.
The Wildcat bats combined for a season-high 11 hits on the game, six of which went for extra-bases. Morgan Newport led the way as she drove in a career-high six RBI, four of which came on the eventual game-winning grand slam in the top of the sixth inning. The grand slam was the first of Newport's career and her second home run of the season.
Angela Zedak was also dominant at the plate, finishing a home run shy of the cycle as she went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Zedak's triple in the second inning and double later in the fourth marked the first two extra-base hits of her young career.
Also turning in multi-hit efforts were Rachel Lewis, who went 2-for-4 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored, along with Nikki Cuchran, who went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. Both Lewis and Cuchran have now reached base in 11 of the Wildcats' 12 games this season.
Danielle Williams got the start for the Wildcats and battled in the circle, allowing just two earned runs while striking out four in 4.2 innings. Taking over in relief was Sydney Supple, who allowed just one run in 2.1 innings on the way to earning her first-career win.
The Beach jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first via three unearned runs, however the 'Cats began clawing their way back in the top of the third inning. Zedak began the rally with a triple down the right field line and then–two batters later–Lewis moved into scoring position with an infield single followed by a stolen base, her sixth of the season. With one out, Skyler Shellmyer drove in Zedak with an infield single and Jordyn Rudd added an RBI of her own on a groundout to bring home Lewis and cut the deficit to 3-2.
Maeve Nelson jumpstarted a fifth inning rally after lining a one-out double into the right-center gap. A walk by Rudd and a single by Cuchran loaded the bases up, and Newport came through with a double to the center field fence to score Nelson and Sammy Stanley and put the Wildcats in front, 4-3.
Long Beach State re-took a 5-4 lead in the next half inning after a string of singles, but the 'Cats punched back as Mac Dunlap scored on a wild pitch to even the score in the top of the sixth. Later in the inning with two outs, Northwestern loaded the bases for Newport. With a full count, the senior from DeKalb, Ill. launched an opposite field grand slam over the left field fence to give the Wildcats a 9-5 advantage.
In the top of the seventh, Lewis provided some insurance runs with a towering home run to left field, her second of the tournament and team-leading fourth of the season. From there, Supple slammed the door with a clean frame in the bottom of the seventh to secure the 9-6 victory.
Northwestern will wrap up its weekend stay at the Mary Nutter Classic tomorrow morning with a showdown vs. No. 2 Washington beginning at 11 a.m. CT. Sunday's matchup will mark the third Top-10 team the Wildcats have faced already this season as well as the seventh ranked team in 14 games. Fans can stream the action live on FloSoftball.
••••••
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!
The Wildcat bats combined for a season-high 11 hits on the game, six of which went for extra-bases. Morgan Newport led the way as she drove in a career-high six RBI, four of which came on the eventual game-winning grand slam in the top of the sixth inning. The grand slam was the first of Newport's career and her second home run of the season.
Angela Zedak was also dominant at the plate, finishing a home run shy of the cycle as she went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Zedak's triple in the second inning and double later in the fourth marked the first two extra-base hits of her young career.
Also turning in multi-hit efforts were Rachel Lewis, who went 2-for-4 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored, along with Nikki Cuchran, who went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. Both Lewis and Cuchran have now reached base in 11 of the Wildcats' 12 games this season.
Danielle Williams got the start for the Wildcats and battled in the circle, allowing just two earned runs while striking out four in 4.2 innings. Taking over in relief was Sydney Supple, who allowed just one run in 2.1 innings on the way to earning her first-career win.
The Beach jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first via three unearned runs, however the 'Cats began clawing their way back in the top of the third inning. Zedak began the rally with a triple down the right field line and then–two batters later–Lewis moved into scoring position with an infield single followed by a stolen base, her sixth of the season. With one out, Skyler Shellmyer drove in Zedak with an infield single and Jordyn Rudd added an RBI of her own on a groundout to bring home Lewis and cut the deficit to 3-2.
Maeve Nelson jumpstarted a fifth inning rally after lining a one-out double into the right-center gap. A walk by Rudd and a single by Cuchran loaded the bases up, and Newport came through with a double to the center field fence to score Nelson and Sammy Stanley and put the Wildcats in front, 4-3.
Long Beach State re-took a 5-4 lead in the next half inning after a string of singles, but the 'Cats punched back as Mac Dunlap scored on a wild pitch to even the score in the top of the sixth. Later in the inning with two outs, Northwestern loaded the bases for Newport. With a full count, the senior from DeKalb, Ill. launched an opposite field grand slam over the left field fence to give the Wildcats a 9-5 advantage.
In the top of the seventh, Lewis provided some insurance runs with a towering home run to left field, her second of the tournament and team-leading fourth of the season. From there, Supple slammed the door with a clean frame in the bottom of the seventh to secure the 9-6 victory.
Northwestern will wrap up its weekend stay at the Mary Nutter Classic tomorrow morning with a showdown vs. No. 2 Washington beginning at 11 a.m. CT. Sunday's matchup will mark the third Top-10 team the Wildcats have faced already this season as well as the seventh ranked team in 14 games. Fans can stream the action live on FloSoftball.
••••••
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: Supple, Sydney (1-1)
L: Quinlan, Morgan (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Nelson, Maeve 1 ; Newport, Morgan 1 ; Zedak, Angela 1
3B: Zedak, Angela 1
HR: Lewis, Rachel 1 ; Newport, Morgan 1
RBI: Lewis, Rachel 2 ; Rudd, Jordyn 1 ; Newport, Morgan 6
SH: Lewis, Rachel 1 ; Dunlap, Mac 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lewis, Rachel 2 ; Shellmyer, Skyler 1 ; Nelson, Maeve 2 ; Stanley, Sammy 1 ; Cuchran, Nikki 1 ; Newport, Morgan 1 ; Zedak, Angela 2 ; Dunlap, Mac 1
SB: Lewis, Rachel 1 ; Bartz, Emma 1
HBP: Nelson, Maeve 1
Batting:
2B: Ruffin, Maddy 1 ; Lockman, Abby 1
RBI: McCollum, Sydney 2 ; Gonzalez, Alyssa 1 ; Lockman, Abby 1 ; Rowland, Taylor 1
SH: Ruffin, Maddy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Olson, Sara 2 ; Seip, Rylie 2 ; Gonzalez, Alyssa 1 ; Salazar, Emily 1
SB: Olson, Sara 1 ; Seip, Rylie 1 ; Salazar, Emily 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
6
AB
4
R
2
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballIF/OF
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballP/U
/ Softball
C/U
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P/1B
/ Softball
P/U
/ SoftballU
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