When Northwestern’s high-powered offense is spraying the ball across the field and Lauren Delaney’s strikeout totals reach double-digits, an error might go unnoticed.
This weekend Ohio State was the team making consistent contact. The Buckeyes only struck out four times while hitting four home runs, meaning the Wildcats were forced to make plays in the field.
And when the ball stayed in the park, they did, coming up big multiple times and saving critical runs for an NU team that needed all it could to stay close.
“I think that we really practiced defense a lot the last month,” shortstop Tammy Williams said. “The fact that we know that we can come out and catch anything on the field and stop anything is something that lets us know that we’re comfortable and we’re going for it.”
The defensive standout was junior centerfielder Kelly Dyer. Dyer gunned down two runners at the plate Saturday in what went on to be a 7-6 Buckeye victory, but she saved the team more than two runs.
Her first opportunity came in the fourth inning, when NU trailed 3-0 and Ohio State outfielder Courtney Pruner stroked a two-out single back up the middle. A runner scored from third with ease, then left-fielder Vanessa Spears tried to score from second. But Kelly Dyer’s throw got to catcher Erin Dyer in time for her to apply the tag to the sliding Spears before her hand could touch the outside of the plate.
Later, in the sixth, Dyer’s play in center field kept the Buckeyes off the board. After the speedy Dee Dee Hillman led off the inning with a walk and advanced to third on two wild pitches, it did not look like it would take much to score her. But she did not even attempt to test Kelly Dyer’s arm with none out when catcher Sam Marder flew out to center.
The next batter, Pruner, flew out in almost the exact same location to Kelly Dyer. Hillman tried to tag, but was gunned down on a one-hopper that got to the catcher while Hillman was still five feet away from the plate, completing the inning-ending double play and giving NU a chance to come back.
“I think as an outfielder, you always dream of throwing people out,” Kelly Dyer said. “So to do it twice in one day, it was great and it kept us closer in the game.”
Other examples of good defense were numerous: An Erin Dyer throw caught Pruner stealing at third base in the first game Saturday. A Jordan Wheeler running catch held Ohio State to only one run on a bases-loaded gapper in the second game. And a grounder up the middle with one out on pitcher Jessica Smith’s second pitch of the game turned into an inning-ending double play Sunday.
“We’re very aggressive, and very athletic,” coach Kate Drohan said. “We take a lot of pride in what we’ve done defensively.”
The defense made three errors on the weekend – one by Delaney on a two-out throw to second that kept a Buckeye rally alive.
“Sometimes, when she’s struggling, you feel helpless,” Kelly Dyer said. “So every time the ball is hit to me in my direction, I’m going to do the best I can to get an out. It’s my job.”
