Making the journey through the cornfields to the Big Ten tournament, the Northwestern softball team will be left with two options — “win or die.”

The phrase has been repeated by players before every Wildcats (26-22, 12-6 Big Ten) game this year and appears at the top of the team’s itinerary for the Big Ten tourney, which begins today in Iowa City, Iowa. For the Cats — who have exhibited several incredible performances along with several atrocious ones — the rigorous three-day event will truly define how strong they are.

“We’re going to take every team strong,” senior shortstop Tami Jones said. “We’re definitely playing like there is no option but to win.”

NU’s first battle will be against Wisconsin (34-25, 9-6) and freshman pitcher Andrea Kirchberg. The conference leader in wins (28) and strikeouts (289), Kirchberg has silenced some of the Big Ten’s best hitters this season.

Although she lived up to her billing in a March 31 game in Madison, Wis., Kirchberg had one of her only blemishes of the season when the Cats rallied to beat Wisconsin 2-1 in extra innings.

NU hitters were completely fooled by Kirchberg’s blazing riseball until junior Brooke Siebel belted a home run in the team’s final at-bat to tie the score at one. The Cats pulled ahead in the 10th inning and pitcher Lauren Schwendimann nailed down the win, the first in a series of impressive Cats comebacks.

“We’ve come from behind repeatedly,” coach Sharon Drysdale said. “Either we get ahead and fall behind or we start behind and then come back.

“It’s like learning to play in the last minute of a basketball game, in the last few seconds. I think we have a lot of confidence that we’re not out of a game and that we can come back because we’ve done it so often.”

With five wins against ranked teams and six against Big Ten tournament squads, NU rolls into Iowa City fearing no one.

But during the conference campaign, the Cats struggled to win consecutive games — a must in the tournament format. NU’s endurance could be tested today, since a win versus Wisconsin would reward the team with a night contest against tournament host No. 15 Iowa.

“It’s going to be a single game here, a break and then you play again,” Drysdale said. “And it’s not the same team over and over again — it’s a different team and a different challenge each time.”

NU’s quest for the title will be aided by the likely return of sophomore catcher Gretchen Barnes. Sidelined since April 21 with an injury to her glove hand, Barnes has watched the bulk of the Cats’ Big Ten season from the dugout.

Hitting four homers and knocking in 17 RBIs before her injury, Barnes will come back to an NU lineup that has exploded on offense. Siebel has raised her season average to .381 and sophomore outfielder Erin Jancic has pounded six home runs and leads the team with 36 RBIs.

With Barnes back at catcher, the Cats’ hitting could be the difference in the tournament.

“Gretchen hits home runs and long balls, which is always needed,” freshman pitcher Brie Brown said. “Our batting order is good, but it always can be boosted up with that long bat she has.”

Although hitting should not be a major adjustment for Barnes, the veteran backstop will need to re-acclimate herself behind the plate. Schwendimann will start against Wisconsin, with Brown pitching the second game in the double-elimination tournament.

A main challenge for Barnes will be working with the two vastly different styles of the freshman pitchers.

“When Schwendy threw fast for the first time it was a little like, ‘Whoa, I haven’t seen this in a while,'” Barnes said.

NU will have no trouble getting excited for strong opponents like Iowa, Penn State and Michigan, ranked No. 14 in the nation. And a longer season is an added incentive for the Cats.

A strong finish in the Big Tens should secure NU a spot in the 48-team NCAA Regionals, which begin May 18 in eight locations around the country.

Although they are focused on today’s game, the Cats plan to be playing long after the conference tournament ends.

Said Brown: “I’ve been talking to people who ask me, ‘When is softball done?’ and I say that we have at least two more weeks left and three at the most. We all have high expectations.”

LAURELS FOR SIEBEL: On Wednesday, Siebel was named Big Ten Player of the Year. Though she was injured for most of NU’s non-conference season, Siebel hit .446 with six home runs and 20 RBIs in Big Ten games. Siebel is the first Cats player to receive the honor since pitcher Lisa Ishikawa in 1985. Other NU players to receive All-Big Ten honors were Jancic, Schwendimann and third baseman Alyson Schulz.