Northwestern
11-12
Oakland
7-11
Wildcat Offense Erupts in Weekend Finale
3/8/2020 11:54:00 AM | Softball
LOUISVILLE, KY – Northwestern ended its weekend on a high note at the Red & Black Challenge hosted by the University of Louisville with a 14-3 run-rule victory over the Oakland Golden Grizzlies.
The Wildcats were on a hit parade all game batting, 11-for-23 on the game. Of the 11 hits, six went for extra base hits, tied for the most team extra base hits in a single game this year. Their 14 runs scored mark their season high and the most since they scored 15 vs. Detroit Mercy in the first game of the 2019 Evanston Regional.
Maeve Nelson and Nikki Cuchran were both a perfect 2-for-2 for the 'Cats. Cuchran contributed a double and her first triple of the year. Nelson hit a single in the second inning, followed by a grand slam in the third. Her grand slam marks the first of her career and the second of the season for the Wildcats.
The 'Cats struck first in the bottom of the first inning, as Cuchran came through with a two-out RBI-double to knock in Rachel Lewis. Danielle Williams kept the rally going with an RBI-single to put the 'Cats up 2-0.
In the second, the 'Cats added to their lead with four more runs. Nelson racked up one of her five RBI with base knock up the middle. Jordyn Rudd followed with an RBI bunt single of her own. Then, Cuchran knocked in both Rudd and Nelson with an opposite field triple.
After allowing two runs in the top of the third, the 'Cats put up another 4-spot after Nelson's first career grand slam.
In the bottom of the fourth, it was the rookies getting it done. After an RBI-double from Sydney Supple, Emmie Farnam smacked a three-run homer over the center field wall in her first career at-bat.
Williams closed the game for the 'Cats, allowing just one run in three innings while striking out six. The sophomore left-hander from Pleasanton, Calif. also topped the 400 mark in career strikeouts. She is one of just four Wildcat pitchers to reach this milestone within her first two seasons with the program.
Next up, Chicago's Big Ten Team will return home for their first home game on Friday, March 20th at Sharon J. Drysdale Field where they will face Michigan State in a three-game series. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. CT.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Williams, Danielle (4-6)
L: Sydney Campbell (5-4)
Batting:
2B: Jen Krizka 1 ; Hannah Chadwell 1
RBI: Jen Krizka 1 ; Hannah Chadwell 2
SH: Arieanna Grammatico 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Madison Jones 1 ; Jamie Squires 1 ; Sidney Rayba 1
SB: Madison Jones 2
HBP: Shannon Carr 1 ; Hannah Chadwell 1
Batting:
2B: Cuchran, Nikki 1 ; Williams, Danielle 1 ; Supple, Sydney 1
3B: Cuchran, Nikki 1
HR: Farnam, Emmie 1 ; Nelson, Maeve 1
RBI: Farnam, Emmie 3 ; Nelson, Maeve 5 ; Rudd, Jordyn 1 ; Cuchran, Nikki 3 ; Williams, Danielle 1 ; Supple, Sydney 1
SH: Nelson, Maeve 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lewis, Rachel 1 ; Farnam, Emmie 1 ; Nelson, Maeve 2 ; Rudd, Jordyn 1 ; Cuchran, Nikki 1 ; Williams, Danielle 1 ; Supple, Sydney 1 ; Stanley, Sammy 1 ; Zedak, Angela 2 ; Huff, Parker 1 ; Shellmyer, Skyler 2
HBP: Zedak, Angela 1
