The ’Cats had owned the Huskies for years, but on Tuesday night, they had to claw their way back to avoid getting bitten.
In a midweek matchup, Northwestern (24-19, 11-7 B1G) traveled to Northern Illinois University (21-13, 14-5 MAC) to face the Huskies for the 18th meeting all-time. So far, the ’Cats had yet to lose against the state opponent, so confidence was likely running high.
Maybe too high.
The Huskies struck first in the opening inning, after forcing a three-up, three-down from the ’Cats. It
started when Jenna Turner reached on an error by Tru Medina, allowing her to touch first safely and advance to third through the next two at-bats. Eventually, she advanced one more. After Kansas Robinson dropped the third-out pop-up, Turner crossed the plate to put NIU on the board.
But it wasn’t looking good for Northwestern, as another three-out offensive showing kept the morale low before the Huskies struck again. After starting pitcher Riley Grudzielanek delivered two runners to the bases via a walk and a hit-by-pitch, a mashed two-RBI double from Lia Nance extended her team’s lead to three.
Two subsequent outs ended the inning, but until the fourth, Northwestern remained scoreless, a lone hit from Avery Garden being the only evidence that the bats weren’t asleep.
Finally, something started brewing for the purple and white’s offense. Kaylie Avvisato reached first on an error, and soon after Robinson roped one over the right field wall, just barely missing a car parked on the side street. She happily trotted around the bases with her teammate, and once both stomped on the plate, the deficit was cut to one.
With only one out, Bridget Donahey stepped up with a single of her own, and a double from Izzy Cunnea brought home another run to tie it up heading into the bottom inning.
The Huskies were determined to fire back, however, and two base runners off the jump caused a Northwestern pitching change. Renae Cunningham stepped to the circle, hoping to close it out, but instead quickly loaded the bases. Frantically trying to get out of a hole, another pitching change led to Marina Mason on the rubber.
An immediate hit-by-pitch brought one more unearned run across the plate, but two pop-ups afterward limited further damage for the Northwestern defense.
Through the fifth and sixth innings, the score stayed stagnant — 4-3 Huskies. Even with one out and bases loaded, the ’Cats couldn’t muster enough to plate a runner, and heading into the seventh, it was a do-or-die situation if they wanted to take the midweek matchup.
It started immediately.
Grace Nieto barreled one up on a 2-2 count, placing the line-drive it just high enough that the shortstop, Alana Powell, had to leap into the air. Unable to hold on, Nieto reached first safely, and her showing was ruled a single before Avvisato stepped to the box.
Working into a hitters count, the sophomore found her pitch and drove it high and to the wall, just a smidge too low to make it over, but rounding third was Nieto — and she wasn’t stopping any time soon. Pumping her arms and swiftly sliding into the plate, she beat the throw by nearly a second and bought some time for Avvisato to advance to third in the process.
The game was tied at 4: no outs, and a runner at third for Emma Raye.
Although quiet thus far, there is no doubt the junior had been on fire the past two weeks. There was no other player you would want in the box in this moment. After watching her first pitch outside the zone, the next was hers. Crushing the ball to the top of the wall in left center, the sac-fly was plenty far enough to allow Avvisato to tag up and sprint home to take the lead.
For the first time in the game, Northwestern led. Admittedly, there was little room for error, but off a lead-taking rally, momentum was high going into the bottom of the seventh.
Riley Hartman, who had popped up in her last at-bat, stepped to the box first. After surviving a 2-1 count, she poked one into shallow left field. But before it could hit the ground, Cunnea enters into frame through a Superman dive, tallying out number one in SportsCenter fashion. Two to go.
A triple from Powell kept a glimmer of hope for NIU, but the Wildcat defense had other plans. After a quick meeting at the circle, a drop-stepping play from Donahey secured the out in her glove and kept Powell standing at third. One to go.
Katy Ramage was the lifeline for the Huskies when she planted her foot in the box. After having two hit-by-pitches and a single earlier in the game, she had reached base in every at-bat. Working inside, Mason tried to jam the righty, but she turned just quickly enough to hit it fair down the third-base foul line. Medina, reaching to the ground after a subtle bobble, launched it to first. In a split second, it was into Robinson’s glove, and the game was up to the umpire.
In a moment of anticipation, everyone waited for the call. After two seconds, he raised his arm and punched it through the air to indicate the out was made. The game was sealed. Northwestern, in a gritty battle, pulled out the victory, 5-4.
For the second-to-last series in the regular season, the Wildcats travel to West Lafayette to face Purdue. First pitch is slated for Friday at 4 pm CT.
