ANN ARBOR, MICH. — The rain came frequently and ferociously andweather is the reason why the Northwestern softball team has yet tofinish its opening round game in the Big Ten tournament.
When the umpires cleared the field for the third time Fridayafternoon, freshman Eileen Canney was pitching for the fourthseeded Wildcats with one out and no runners on base in the top ofthe seventh inning against No. 5 Minnesota.
The Gophers hold a 2-0 lead, and NU will have one more chance totie the game in the bottom of the frame when the game resumes at 8a.m. today at the University of Michigan’s Alumni Field.
“We have to get our act together and go after it in themorning,” NU coach Kate Drohan said. “The team realizes thatwe’re having this (delay) for three outs, so those three outsbetter count.”
The score was knotted at 0-0 until the fifth inning when theCats ran into some trouble. After second baseman ValerieAlston’s single to center field plated left fielder LindseyErickson, pitcher Piper Marten hit a slow chopper to Canney, whocould not throw out the speeding Marten at first. Shortstop RachelKeeney scored on the play to give Minnesota a comfortable 2-0lead.
The Cats had two great chances to score in the fourth and sixthinnings. NU loaded the bases in both innings with only one out, butleft fielder Jessica Miller and catcher J.C. Kira proceeded tostrikeout and flyout in each inning.
The sixth inning was particularly brutal for the Cats toswallow. After Miller struck out with the bases loaded and one out,Kira again appeared to pop the ball up in the infield to end theinning.
But because of miscommunication between the Keeney and thirdbaseman Tonya Mitchell, the ball dropped in the infield. Kira,however, did not run on the hit and Keeney promptly threw the ballto first to end the threat.
Kira was removed from the game after that play. First basemanJamie Dotson moved to catcher and designated player Garland Coopertook over at first.
Sophomore pitcher Courtnay Foster started the game for NU butwas replaced with one out in the third inning in favor of Canney.Foster had given up no runs and five hits before being pulled, andDrohan declined to comment on the move.
There were two extended rain delays during the game, with thefirst lasting 70 minutes in the first inning and the second lasting41 minutes in the seventh.
After the Cats’ first round game is over tomorrow, thetournament’s semifinal and championship games will follow. Ifthe Cats can find a way to win in the morning, they couldpotentially face three different opponents on Saturday.
