Erin Dyer and Tammy Williams seem out of place.
Dyer, a catcher in high school, is playing right field. Williams was supposed to be playing this season at a junior college before coach Kate Drohan plucked her away to play at Northwestern at the last moment.
Yet the two freshmen have carved out an integral place in the Wildcats’ lineup as the team powers ahead in the NCAA tournament.
Williams’ crucial role was evident on Sunday in NU’s 7-4 victory over Notre Dame that propelled the Cats into next weekend’s Super Regional against Massachusetts.
With the score tied at four in the fourth inning, the Fighting Irish had a runner on second with two outs. Shortstop Sara Schoonaert hit a slow grounder to Williams that looked like trouble.
But in a play that contradicts her lack of experience, the freshman charged the ball aggressively, scooped it up and fired a strike to first to end the inning and preserve the tie.
Two innings later, with the Cats ahead by one, Williams smacked a two-run homer that provided some much-needed cushion on a day when pitcher Eileen Canney wasn’t her usual dominating self.
“Tammy Williams is a big boost to this ball team,” Drohan said. “She’s a big spark offensively and defensively.”
While Dyer has struggled at times, there also been plenty of highs, including her team-record eight RBIs against Wisconsin on March 31.
“Erin Dyer is a ball player,” Drohan said. “Her true position is catcher, but she’s done a great job sticking with being a little up and down as most freshmen experience.”
In three games during the NCAA Regionals, Dyer caught fire at the plate, going 4 for 8.
Her prime performance came in NU’s 9-0 drubbing of Notre Dame on Saturday, when Dyer hit a pair of doubles and drove in four runs. Her first inning double with the bases loaded knocked in three and broke the game open.
“I felt really loose, really good at the plate,” Dyer said after the game. “I was calm and relaxed out there.”
PRACTICE MAKES ALMOST PERFECT
Coming off a disappointing loss to Michigan in the finals of the Big Ten tournament, in which NU committed four costly errors, Drohan said the problem would be addressed in practice.
While practice hasn’t made perfect, it has certainly spurred improvement. In three Regional games, the Cats made just two errors and didn’t allow an unearned run.
There were also some spectacular plays, such as centerfielder Sheila McCorkle’s catch in the seventh inning Sunday.
Catcher Mallorie Lenn led off the inning and crushed a deep fly ball to right-center field. McCorkle sprinted deep into the outfield before making a sliding catch on the warning track and crashing into the fence.
“We have a joke, ‘It doesn’t hurt if you catch it,’ ” Drohan said, chuckling. “She finally believed me.”
FRIENDLY CONFINES
Before the Cats opened the Regional tournament on Friday against Southern Illinois, Drohan was sure to convey an important fact to them.
“I told the team before the game, ‘This is the first time the road to Oklahoma City (site of the College World Series) has gone through Evanston,’ ” Drohan said.
The friendly confines of Sharon J. Drysdale Field have been kind to the Cats this season. After sweeping through the Regional, NU now sports a record of 15-1 at home in 2006 and earned the right to host the Super Regional.
Besides the team’s success at home, there are other advantages to staying there. As left fielder Katie Logan mentioned, school is still in session, and playing in Evanston allows the team’s student-athletes to continue going to class.
Of course, if the home field advantage helps carry NU to Oklahoma City, don’t expect to hear any complaints.
Reach Andrew Simon at [email protected].
