April 24, 2007

Box Score

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Senior Garland Cooper (Mission Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) hit the 51st home run of her career to match the Big Ten conference's all-time record, and Northwestern went wild offensively in a 12-0, five-inning win against Notre Dame Tuesday night at Ivy Field.

With the win, Northwestern improves to 37-10 overall on the year, while Notre Dame falls to 24-19 with the loss.

Northwestern jumped on Notre Dame starter Brittney Bargar hard in the top of the first inning. Senior Katie Logan (Tempe, Ariz./Corona del Sol) led off the game with a single to short, then moved to second on a passed ball. After sophomore Tammy Williams (Roscoe, Mo./Osceola) was hit by a pitch, Cooper moved both runners up with a groundout.

Freshman Nicole Pauly (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) then clubbed a double into the gap in right-center field to score both Logan and Williams and give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead. One out later, a wild pitch moved Pauly to third and sophomore Jessica Rigas (River Forest, Ill./Oak Park River Forest) drew a walk. With senior Jessica Miller (Elberfeld, Ind./Techumseh) at the plate, Rigas took off for second to earn her first-career stolen base, and Pauly stole home when the throw went to second to extend NU's first-inning lead to three, 3-0.

Northwestern tacked three more runs onto its total in the top of the second. Freshman Kelly Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) drew a leadoff walk, but was erased one out later on a fielder's choice grounder from Logan. After a Williams single to short, Cooper lined a ball over the fence in left field for a three-run jack and a 6-0 Northwestern lead.

Cooper's blast was her conference-leading 19th of the season and the 51st of her career, tying the Big Ten all-time record held by Minnesota's Jordanne Nygren (1999-2000, 02-03).

While the Wildcats were pounding pitches around the park, senior Eileen Canney (Paradise, Calif./Paradise) was pounding the glove of catcher Erin Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport). After surrendering a leadoff single in the first, Canney fanned five batters through the next two innings, including the side in the second.

Another 'Cat crossed home plate in the top of the third inning. With one out, Rigas singled into left before being replaced by pinch runner Ashley Lafever (Bettendorf, Iowa/Pleasant Valley). Miller then slugged a double over the head of the centerfielder, scoring Lafever all the way from first to make the score 7-0.

Notre Dame made a pitching change to begin the fourth, sending Kenya Fuemmeler to the circle in relief of Bargar (16-10). Fuemmeler opened the frame with a walk to Cooper, who was replaced at first by pinch runner Aly Euler (River Forest, Ill./Oak Park River Forest). Pauly then singled through the right side, moving up a base herself when the throw went unsuccessfully to third.

A walk to Erin Dyer loaded the bases with no outs, but Fuemmeler was able to fan the next three hitters to hold NU without any runs for the first time in the game.

A 1-2-3 bottom of the fourth for Canney included her seventh strikeout of the game and the 999th of her career.

Pinch hitter Emily Haug (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) led off the top of the fifth with a walk for NU, then junior Darcy Sengewald (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East) reentered to run for Haug. Logan followed with a line drive that ricocheted off the third baseman for a single, pushing Sengewald to second. After a wild pitch moved both runners up, Williams was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game to load the bases with no outs.

A full-count walk to Cooper forced Sengewald across the plate to push the game into run-rule territory, 8-0. Pauly followed with a single back up the middle to score both Logan and Williams, then one out later Erin Hampshire (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) hit a double to the fence in right to score Cooper and Pauly and make the score 12-0.

Northwestern head coach Kate Drohan replaced Canney in the circle to start the fifth, bringing in freshman Lauren Delaney (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias). The Irish loaded the bases against Delaney, but she escaped the inning unscathed to preserve the shutout.

Canney earned the win to move to 21-8 on the season, allowing two hits and one walk with seven strikeouts in 4.0 innings pitched.

Pauly finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored, while Cooper also drove in four and scored twice. Logan was 2-for-4 with three runs scored, and Williams also scored three times for the 'Cats.

Northwestern returns to action at 4 p.m. CT Friday, April 27, against Iowa at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.

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