With all due respect to its fans, the Northwestern softball team would like to be a little less entertaining when it takes on Northern Illinois in a doubleheader today at Anderson Field.
The Wildcats (9-13) had more excitement this past weekend than most teams see in a season. NU’s four games against Ohio State and Penn State were each decided by one run.
But the Cats know a pair of wins over the Huskies – a Mid-American Conference squad – won’t be easy.
“Northern Illinois is always tough for us,” NU coach Sharon Drysdale said. “It doesn’t matter how good we are.
“For them it’s like ‘Wow, Big Ten. We have a chance to beat them.'”
NU managed to avoid the letdown last season, winning 10-2 and 4-1 at Northern Illinois. But the Cats realize that Northern Illinois wants more out of its matchup with a Big Ten team this time around.
Along with a hungry Huskies squad, NU will have to contend with today’s colder-than-usual temperatures.
But the Cats are hoping to keep warm with success.
“If you’re playing well, you don’t think about how cold it is,” junior centerfielder Erin Jancic said.
The Cats will need a good performance from their pitching staff if they don’t want to be thinking about the chilly conditions.
Sophomore Lauren Schwendimann – who missed the first 12 games of the season because of shoulder surgery – threw her first complete game this year in a 4-3 victory over Penn State Friday. But Drysdale said Schwendimann still has some work to do.
“I don’t know if she’s back psychologically,” Drysdale said. “She needs to get more confidence.”
NU’s other pitcher, sophomore Brie Brown, struggled in her start against the Lady Lions, allowing seven runs. But Brown pitched much better against Ohio State, allowing only two runs in six innings of work.
Schwendimann and Brown will be bolstered by an improved defense. Defensive mistakes hurt the Cats in their 4-3 loss to the Buckeyes Saturday – and Jancic said they have learned their lesson.
But the pitching staff will also need run support, and recently Jancic has provided the offensive spark for the Cats.
She went 6-for-13 over the weekend and hopes to keep her bat hot.
“I need to take the same approach to every at-bat,” Jancic said.
But even if Jancic continues her success at the plate, NU knows playing an in-state rival in cold weather could make today’s contest a hard-fought one.
And although the Cats don’t like the close ones, Jancic said they have enough experience to handle the pressure.
“A blowout would definitely be nice,” Jancic said, “but we know we can win the close games.”
