By Philip Rossman-ReichThe Daily Northwestern
Freshman Nicole Pauly made one mistake in Northwestern’s final four Big Ten games.
Pauly mishandled a grounder at second base that would have been the final out of the Wildcats’ second game against the Fighting Illini on Sunday.
Fortunately for her, freshman pitcher Lauren Delaney got sophomore designated player Katrina Ross to pop out to first base for the final out. The final stat line for Illinois read: no runs, no hits and one NU error.
“I’ve been a little shaky lately,” said Delaney who is 2-2 after starting her season 15-0. “I threw really well. It just helps to get out there.”
Delaney earned her first career no-hitter, striking out 10 and walking one in the Cats’ 5-0 win. It was the second no-hitter of the season for NU after senior pitcher Eileen Canney threw one against California on Feb. 17.
NU swept four games from Iowa and Illinois over the weekend, with Pauly hitting a home run in each. The wins kept the Cats in the race for the Big Ten championship. NU is in second place behind Ohio State, who also won four games this weekend.
“It was really important to come out here and sweep these games because that will get us on a roll going into the Big Ten tournament,” Delaney said. “Even if we don’t host, it’s still going to help us going into the tournament that we won these.”
NU (41-10, 15-3 Big Ten) gained a lot of momentum by holding the top home run-hitting team in the Big Ten without a long ball Sunday.
The Cats scored seven runs in the fifth inning for a 12-4 win in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader against the Illini (29-23, 7-7), utilizing a lead-off home run by sophomore designated player Jessica Rigas.
The game ended when two runners scored on sophomore catcher Erin Dyer’s sacrifice fly and the ensuing wild throw.
Senior Garland Cooper hit two homers during the weekend. Her 52nd career homer came Friday, setting the Big Ten record, as the Cats defeated the Hawkeyes 5-1. Her three-run shot to center Sunday was her 22nd of the season, also setting a Big Ten record.
“(Cooper is) never satisfied,” coach Kate Drohan said. “With that desire to keep building on her talent, she’s really gone at-bat to at-bat this season. She’s shown a lot of maturity with that and that’s what’s enabling her to get the big hit so often.”
The Hawkeyes (35-20, 9-7) fought the Cats a little tougher Saturday.
NU trailed Iowa 1-0 as senior pitcher Eileen Canney allowed runners into scoring position in three of the first four innings.
But Pauly blasted a homer just over the left field fence to give the Cats a 2-1 win.
“I was feeling very relaxed,” Pauly said. “I wasn’t thinking about too much of anything. (I was) just going up there and swinging the bat.”
Canney pitched the first three games and won the first two in dominating fashion. She pitched 19 innings, giving up six runs and recording 25 strikeouts. Her first strikeout Friday made her the third player in NU history to record 1,000 in a career.
“Pitching three games can have some wear on your body,” Canney said. “But you can’t really think about that. I just go out there and try to do my best to help my team win.”
With NU’s four wins it has guaranteed itself no worse than the second seed in the Big Ten tournament. To win its second straight regular season championship, the team needs Ohio State to lose one of its final two conference games against Penn State next weekend.
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