Northwestern is used to being able to score more than three runs in a game. Or at least two games.
The Wildcats’ 5.97 runs a game are 19th in the country, but NU (22-17, 4-10 Big Ten) was shut out for the first time all season in the first game against Minnesota (30-21, 8-8) Wednesday. The Cats could not respond from the 3-0 loss and lost 4-3 to get swept.
“I try not to get my emotions involved,” senior third baseman Robin Thompson said. “We just need to be mentally and emotionally strong.”
In the day’s first inning, two big shifts of momentum set the tone for the game. Sophomore center fielder Kristin Scharkey gunned out Golden Gophers’ first baseman Malisa Barnes trying to score from second to end the inning. The Cats put their first three batters on in the bottom half but came away empty.
“Every pitch counts and every swing counts,” senior Michelle Batts said.
Minnesota only got one earned run off of NU senior Jessica Smith, who pitched a complete game and struck out eight. The Golden Gophers got their first and second runs when second baseman Dannie Skrove was hit twice by pitches with the bases loaded. The Golden Gophers added another on an infield single that got coach Kate Drohan to argue with the umpire after the play and between innings.
Minnesota was led by pitcher Sara Moulton who struck out 10 and scattered five hits to shut down NU. The victory was Moulton’s 26th win and 14th shutout .
“We needed to make adjustments on her dropball,” Thompson said. “We eventually made the adjustments, but we made them too late.”
Batts disagreed saying Moulton didn’t do anything special, but the Cats just beat themselves at the plate.
The game ended two Wildcat streaks: Junior first baseman Adrienne Monka was held off base for the first time in 26 at-bats, when her rocket line drive was caught by Barnes behind first base to end the first game and rob NU of two runs. Senior left fielder Jordan Wheeler also had a 13-game hitting streak snapped.
The Cats did not get the start they needed in the second game when Golden Gophers’ designated player Natalie Neal used a second life to smack a solo home run off freshman pitcher Sammy Albanese, after freshman catcher Paige Tonz lost a foul ball in the sun which landed a step away from her. Minnesota added another in the second when a line drive off Albanese’s shoulder scored a run. The hit shook her up, but she stayed in the game.
The injury time out seemed to be the spark plug NU needed. Albanese calmed down in the circle, and the Cats’ bats seemed to find some life in them. The Cats got their first five batters on in the third and ended up scoring two runs to tie the game. The runs came courtesy of a two-RBI single by freshman second baseman Marisa Bast with the bases loaded.
“We saw that we weren’t going to win games if we didn’t score runs,” Batts said.
The Gophers put up one more in the fourth to take a 3-2 lead, which lasted until Monka drove home Scharkey after three infield singles to tie the game. The tie did not last long as catcher Kari Dorle hit a home run off the scoreboard in left to give the Gophers the game’s final run.
While the losses were frustrating for NU, Drohan said she still has faith.
“I believe in our team,” Drohan said. “And I wish I could inject that belief into them. We’re all strong women and we need to rely on that.”
