Softball Falls to #6 Northwestern 4-1 in NCAA Regionals

Friday, May 18

Evanston, IL

3:30 PM

Wright State University

25-34

#6 Northwestern

46-11

Wright State

Northwestern

Softball Falls to #6 Northwestern 4-1 in NCAA Regionals

5/18/2007 12:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: WSU Athletic Media Relations

One inning proved to be the difference as the #6 ranked Northwestern Wildcats scored four in the third and made that stand up for a 4-1 decision over Wright State Friday in the opening round of the NCAA Softball Regionals in Evanston, Illinois.

The Raiders had an opportunity to score in the first as, with two outs, Jherica Williams singled just off the glove of the second baseman into right center and went to third on two passed balls, but Northwestern starter Lauren Delaney (19-2) pitched out of the jam by getting Kristen Farley to ground out to third.

Wright State starter Allison Cox (15-14) was also able to escape threats by the Wildcats over the first two innings, stranding two baserunners in the first and one more at third in the second.

Northwestern's speed at the top of the order, however, set the stage for the decisive third as leadoff batter Katie Logan singled up the middle and Tammy Williams followed with a hit to short. A Garland Cooper grounder to second moved both runners up a base and both came in to score as Nicole Pauley doubled along the right field line. One out later, Jessica Rigas smacked a two-run home run to left to make 4-0.

The Raiders answered back with a run of their own in the fourth as Williams and Farley were each hit by a pitch and after both runners advanced a base on a slow roller off the bat of Jacqueline Macy, Erica Schroeder's grounder up the middle was knocked down by Delaney, but she could not recover in time to get Schroeder as Williams scored.

Jamie Perkins kept the margin right there over the next three innings, leaving two on base in the fourth and three more in the sixth. The Wright State offense, however, went quiet over the final three innings as Eileen Canney picked up her fourth save of the year, retiring all nine batters she faced with four strikeouts.

Wright State, now 25-34 on the season, takes on Notre Dame, who dropped a 2-1 decision to Illinois State in the first game of the day, in a loser's bracket game Saturday at 2:30 Eastern. Should the Raiders win, they would face the Northwestern/Illinois State loser at 5:00 Dayton time.