After not playing defense for nearly a month, Robyn Pettinger thought she might be a little rusty with the glove.
But in her first game at shortstop since March 24, Pettinger didn’t need to worry about it.
Instead, the Northwestern softball team (28-15, 7-9 Big Ten) relied on pitcher Courtnay Foster, who handcuffed Loyola’s (24-20) hitters during game one of Wednesday’s doubleheader. The freshman hurler made it easy on her infielders, striking out 18 of the 23 hitters she faced in a 1-0 victory.
It was the most strikeouts by an NU pitcher since 1987 and two short of the school record set by Lisa Ishikawa in 1986.
On her way to breaking her own career high of 16, Foster fanned the first 10 Ramblers’ hitters she faced. In seven innings of work, the freshman hurler allowed one hit — an infield single — and walked one.
“I’ve never seen a pitcher dominate a team like that before,” NU coach Kate Drohan said. “To see the first 10 batters go down swinging,that’s a big statement.”
While Foster dominated in the pitching circle, the Wildcats’ offense could not break through against Loyola pitcher Mia Pangere. But before the seventh inning began, Pettinger promised Foster the Cats would put a run on the board.
“I didn’t want to see her lose another game that she pitched amazingly in,” Pettinger said.
With the game still scoreless, Pettinger capped a 3-for-3 day by hitting an opposite field home run that barely cleared the fence in right-center field. It was her fourth of the season.
“They started pitching me outside,” the senior infielder said. “And I was like, ‘If they’re going to pitch me outside, I’m just going to poke it.’ It just went a little farther than I thought it would.”
In the second game of Wednesday’s doubleheader, the Cats once again pulled ahead on the long ball.
This time, it was senior third baseman Cindy Muran who put NU on top with her fifth home run of the season.
Muran’s three-run shot in the third gave the Cats the lead. Loyola managed an unearned run in the bottom of the frame, but NU held on for a 3-1 victory behind Brie Brown’s nearly perfect pitching.
The senior hurler threw a complete game three-hitter, struck out six and walked three.
“Brie Brown pitched a hell of a game,” Drohan said. “She did a good job getting ahead of the batters.”
While NU will take its doubleheader sweep of a nonconference opponent, the Cats know these victories cannot compare to Big Ten wins.
But Drohan said the two wins will help improve her squad’s chances when it faces No. 24 Iowa on Friday and Saturday.
“The team is playing with more confidence and much better energy,” she said. “I think we’re going to start gaining some momentum.”
