Friday, May 26
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
7 pm CT
Northwestern
42-11
3
at
1
#5 Alabama
43-20
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Northwestern
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
3
7
0
Alabama
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
6
2
Williams Powers 'Cats to Game One Victory in Tuscaloosa Super Regional
5/26/2023 10:18:00 PM | Softball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No. 12 Northwestern took game one of the Tuscaloosa Super Regional with a 3-1 victory over No. 5 Alabama.
Danielle Williams spun a complete-game gem to power the Wildcats to a game one win, allowing just one run over seven innings. Williams lowered her career postseason ERA to 3.26 across 118.1 innings. The four-time First Team All-Big Ten selection has surrendered just seven runs in 23.1 innings of work in this year's NCAA Tournament. It was the 106th victory of Williams's career, adding to her program record tally.
Angela Zedak opened the scoring for Northwestern with a solo home run in the top of the second inning, her team-high 12th blast of the season. It was the second home run of Zedak's postseason career, having also homered against McNeese in the 2022 Evanston Regional.
After the 'Cats loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fourth inning, Jordyn Rudd drove in first-year Kelsey Nader with an RBI-single to extend Northwestern's lead to two. It was the 200th RBI of Rudd's storied career, making her just the second Wildcat to ever reach the 200 RBI mark after Garland Cooper (2004-07).
With one out in the top of the fourth, Zedak reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second base on a Maeve Nelson walk. Nader came up clutch for the 'Cats with an RBI-single up the middle to score Zedak and give NU a 3-0 lead. Nader reached base in all three plate appearances in her first Super Regional contest with two singles and a walk.
After surrendering a run in the bottom of the fourth, Williams allowed just one of her final 11 batters faced to reach base to slam the door on the Crimson Tide.
The Wildcats pushed three runs across against former NFCA Pitcher of the Year Montana Fouts in her 3.1 innings of work, just the 11th time she has allowed 3+ runs in her 41 appearances this season. The 'Cats held Fouts to three strikeouts, her lowest total in a start this season.
Chicago's Big Ten Team will look to advance to their second-straight Women's College World Series tomorrow night in game two of the Tuscaloosa Super Regional at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN.
Danielle Williams spun a complete-game gem to power the Wildcats to a game one win, allowing just one run over seven innings. Williams lowered her career postseason ERA to 3.26 across 118.1 innings. The four-time First Team All-Big Ten selection has surrendered just seven runs in 23.1 innings of work in this year's NCAA Tournament. It was the 106th victory of Williams's career, adding to her program record tally.
Angela Zedak opened the scoring for Northwestern with a solo home run in the top of the second inning, her team-high 12th blast of the season. It was the second home run of Zedak's postseason career, having also homered against McNeese in the 2022 Evanston Regional.
Z-????#RoadToWCWS x ?? ESPNews / @NUSBcats pic.twitter.com/icSr8qGSZV
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 27, 2023
After the 'Cats loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fourth inning, Jordyn Rudd drove in first-year Kelsey Nader with an RBI-single to extend Northwestern's lead to two. It was the 200th RBI of Rudd's storied career, making her just the second Wildcat to ever reach the 200 RBI mark after Garland Cooper (2004-07).
With one out in the top of the fourth, Zedak reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second base on a Maeve Nelson walk. Nader came up clutch for the 'Cats with an RBI-single up the middle to score Zedak and give NU a 3-0 lead. Nader reached base in all three plate appearances in her first Super Regional contest with two singles and a walk.
Kelsey Nader comes through for the Cats! ??
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 27, 2023
Make it 3-0 @NUSBcats as Alabama makes a pitching change.#RoadToWCWS x ?? ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/J4FCRhj0rK
After surrendering a run in the bottom of the fourth, Williams allowed just one of her final 11 batters faced to reach base to slam the door on the Crimson Tide.
The Wildcats pushed three runs across against former NFCA Pitcher of the Year Montana Fouts in her 3.1 innings of work, just the 11th time she has allowed 3+ runs in her 41 appearances this season. The 'Cats held Fouts to three strikeouts, her lowest total in a start this season.
Chicago's Big Ten Team will look to advance to their second-straight Women's College World Series tomorrow night in game two of the Tuscaloosa Super Regional at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Williams, Danielle (23-1)
L: Montana Fouts (23-10)
Batting:
HR: Zedak, Angela 1
RBI: Rudd, Jordyn 1 ; Zedak, Angela 1 ; Nader, Kelsey 1
SH: Nieto, Grace 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Zedak, Angela 2 ; Nader, Kelsey 1
SB: Nader, Kelsey 1
HBP: Cady, Hannah 1
Batting:
2B: Ashley Prange 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jordan Stephens 1
SB: Kenleigh Cahalan 1
HBP: Emma Broadfoot 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballC
/ Softball
P/U
/ Softball
OF
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Sunday, April 27
