When Michelle Batts stepped into the batter’s box in the sixth inning Sunday with the score tied and the bases loaded, all 618 fans at Sharon J. Drysdale Field had one thought on their minds: grand slam.
“I was totally calm and cool and relaxed,” Batts said. “I was thinking base hit-don’t get over-anxious”
The junior didn’t disappoint. After fouling off a number of pitches, she launched a poorly-located riseball over the bleachers in right field. The no-doubt shot gave the Wildcats a 9-5 victory over Penn State and highlighted a phenomenal week for the designated player.
“You could just kind of tell that (Batts) had this determination and confidence,” senior Emily Haug said. “If she wasn’t going to hit it out, she was going to get a base hit for sure… I think everyone in the park had that feeling.”
Batts was named Big Ten Player of the Week last week after her hitting display against Illinois-Chicago and Penn State. She knocked in 13 runs during the Cats’ three wins, sending three home runs out of the park. The junior has been hitting so well lately that even her popups have turned into home runs. Her windblown home run to right field Wednesday against DePaul gave Northwestern its only runs of the game.
The Cats will need more of the same from Batts this weekend if they wish to end their home schedule on a high note and escape from the logjam in the middle of the Big Ten. NU (24-20, 9-5 Big Ten) plays host to Wisconsin (18-28, 3-10) this weekend for a two-game set in Evanston.
Despite its slugger’s continued success, the NU offense was dormant Wednesday with only four hits. The Cats understand the changes they need to make, starting with the lineup’s approach at the plate, Haug said. Cats hitters struck out a combined 10 times Wednesday while only walking twice. That ratio will need to change this weekend against the Badgers.
“We weren’t aggressive enough in the box and we kind of let some pitches go by-some of the pitches we needed to jump on,” Haug said. “We need to be a little more disciplined.”
Luckily for the Cats, the Badgers’ pitching staff is one of the worst in the Big Ten. Wisconsin’s 4.41 ERA is second-worst in the conference, while the Badgers rank last in bases-on-balls. Their ace, Letty Olivarez, is particularly wild at times, as she has plunked 27 batters this season.
Despite NU’s poor track record, Haug said the team has already begun preparing for the multiple looks the Badgers will show in the circle.
“We’re just going to be ready for it all,” Haug said.
Offensively, Wisconsin is solid but not great. The Badgers have a dominant offensive weapon in freshman Molly Spence, but Batts pointed to another facet of the team as its greatest strength.
“(They’re) definitely a scrappy team,” Batts said. “They’ve got a lot of heart.”Batts’ home run Sunday was the high point in a roller coaster ride of a season, and coach Kate Drohan said her team is finally coming together.
“Our team is starting to understand the idea of momentum, the swings that happen during the game and how energy and effort can control that,” Drohan said.
The series against Wisconsin this weekend will be the last home games for NU’s seniors, with Sunday being Senior Day. Seniors Lauren Delaney, Kelly Dyer, Aly Euler, Nicole Pauly and Haug will all have to say goodbye to a field they’ve called home for four years.
“There’s going to be that emotion that (you’re) sad to see it end,” Haug said. “I need to keep my focus in the moment …but it could be tough.”
