Emily Haug won’t be forgetting her game-ending three-run home run against Wisconsin on Sunday any time soon.
On the contrary, the senior catcher said she and the Wildcats are using the senior day blast as a momentum builder going into the final week of the regular season.
“We did some good things on Sunday and I think we’ll just build on that,” Haug said. “Take that momentum and go from there. Use that against Ohio State and just use the rivalry we have against them.”
Northwestern (25-21, 10-6 Big Ten) will travel to Columbus, Ohio, this weekend for a crucial two-game set against No. 19 Ohio State (35-12, 14-2). The Cats currently sit in fourth place in the Big Ten, and the outcome of this weekend’s series may very well decide their postseason fate.
The Cats’ RPI is currently 53, according to the NCAA, effectively placing them on the bubble of the 64-team NCAA tournament. The team’s strong schedule and conference record should help its cause come Sunday night, when tournament teams are selected.
While the Cats are taking on one of the conference’s top teams, freshman Emily Allard is confident NU will do whatever it takes to reach the postseason.
“Our seniors ended on an awesome note here on our home field,” Allard said. “We’ll use that and take it into this weekend and pull it out, because we’re going to do it.”
For now, however, coach Kate Drohan wants the team to stay focused on controlling its own destiny. She said the Cats need to improve defensively against OSU, starting with the basics. NU committed four errors last weekend.
“We’re really focusing on fundamentals: fielding the ball and throwing the ball,” Drohan said. “We made some defensive mistakes that weren’t tough plays. We either rushed it a bit or weren’t disciplined enough.”
The Cats won’t be able to afford any such errors this weekend, as the OSU offense is one of the best in the conference. Their team batting average and runs scored both rank third in the Big Ten. Drohan will likely look to freshman Meghan Lamberth, who threw a seven-hit complete game Sunday, to stop the Buckeyes at the plate.
Another area NU will look to improve is hitting with runners on base. On Saturday, the Cats left 15 runners on base, squandering several scoring opportunities during their 10-7 loss.Sunday was a different story, as the lineup had no problem cashing in runners in scoring position. Drohan said the key to continuing the trend is relaxing in the box.
“Our swings looked great both days, but you can’t try to do too much with it,” Drohan said.
“The ironic thing in this game is that when you relax in the batter’s box and simply use the pitch-that’s usually when it leaves the park.”
The matchup this weekend pits the most patient lineup in the Big Ten against one of the conference’s most efficient pitching staffs. Drohan’s squad leads the conference on bases-on-balls, priding itself on strike zone judgment. The Buckeyes’ staff, on the other hand, is second best in the Big Ten in walks allowed, doling out less than two free passes per game.
The battle between NU’s patient lineup and OSU’s efficient pitching may be the deciding factor of the series. Allard, however, said she isn’t intimidated by the strength of the Buckeyes’ staff, despite its 2.30 ERA.
“We’ll go with what we’ve done all year and keep the same attitude,” Allard said. “It’s worked for us so far. I’m afraid for them, not the other way around.” [email protected]
