Feb. 9, 2007

Box Score

TEMPE, Ariz. -- No. 4 Northwestern broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run seventh inning rally Friday morning at the Kajikawa Classic, but No. 13 Texas A&M answered with a walk-off three run home run to defeat the Wildcats, 4-3.

With the score tied, 1-1, after the second inning, the game lapsed into a pitcher's duel between Texas A&M starter Amanda Scarborough and Northwestern starter Eileen Canney (Paradise, Calif./Paradise). Both teams were able to get runners on base and into scoring position, but neither was able to score.

In the top of the seventh, the Wildcats broke the offensive slumber. With two outs, sophomore Jessica Rigas (River Forest, Ill./Oak Park River Forest) was hit with a two-strike pitch, then was replaced at first by freshman Julia Sears (Chicago, Ill./Marist).

Freshman Kelly Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) then fisted a single into left field just beyond the reach of the A&M shortstop, advancing Sears to second. Junior Darcy Sengewald (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East) followed by serving a single into right field to plate Sears and give Northwestern the lead, 2-1. Dyer advanced to third and Sengewald to second on the throw home. Dyer later ran home on a wild pitch to increase NU's cushion to two, 3-1.

The Aggies (1-0) answered in the bottom half of the inning, putting runners on with an infield single and a walk. With one out, A&M then hit a three-run homer to end the game, 4-3.

The Wildcats (0-1) scored their first run of the season in the first inning of the game without the benefit of a base knock. Senior Katie Logan (Tempe, Ariz./Corona del Sol) worked a full-count leadoff walk to start the frame. Sophomore Erin Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) then ripped a liner to third that was caught, but the double-up attempt on Logan at first sailed out of play, allowing Logan to advance to third.

One out later, with sophomore Tammy Williams (Roscoe, Mo./Osceola) at the plate, an inside offering from Scarborough (1-0) got away from the catcher, allowing Logan to scamper home on a passed ball.

The Aggies threatened to return the favor in the bottom of the inning, putting a runner on second after a one-out walk. With two outs, the A&M hitter laced a ball right at junior Sengewald at third, who did well to knock it down and finish the play at first to end the inning.

Texas A&M did manage to score in the next inning, loading the bases on a pair of walks and an infield single before a full-count, two-out walk knotted the game, 1-1. The next Aggie batter hit a soft liner out toward left field, but Williams at shortstop faded back on it and leapt to snare the ball and squash the rally.

Canney took the loss to open the year with an 0-1 record. She allowed four runs on three hits with seven walks and five strikeouts.

Kelly Dyer finished the game 2-for-3 with a run scored for the 'Cats.