May 2, 2012

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Site: Chicago, Ill. (Cacciatore Stadium)
Score: DePaul 6, Northwestern 1
Records: NU (21-27), DePaul (32-18)
Next NU Event: May 5, 2012 -- at Michigan State (East Lansing, Mich.), 1 p.m. CT

CHICAGO -- DePaul capitalized on three early Northwestern errors Wednesday at Cacciatore Stadium in Lincoln Park, scoring four unearned runs and holding the Wildcats at bay in a 6-1 win over NU.

Northwestern now is 21-27 on the season after its loss while DePaul improves to 32-18 with its victory.

DePaul scored first in the bottom of the initial inning, loading the bases with no outs on a trio of singles, the final two of the infield variety after Anna Edwards (La Canada, Calif./La Canada) did well to keep the ball on the dirt. A passed ball brought in one run before Northwestern starter Meghan Lamberth (Wildwood, Mo./Lafayette) got a comebacker and an infield fly for the first two outs. Another infield single make it a 2-0 game before Paige Tonz (Peoria, Ariz./Centennial) threw out a runner trying to steal to end the frame.

The Blue Demons added two more runs in the bottom of the second on a leadoff solo home run and a two-out single that followed a Wildcats' error.

In the top of the third, Edwards worked a lengthy leadoff walk before moving to second one out later when Emily Allard (Antioch, Calif./Deer Valley) slapped a single to right. Adrienne Monka (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) loaded the bases with a two-out walk, but DePaul was able to escape the threat.

The leadoff Demon to the plate in the bottom of the third walked, leading to Amy Letourneau (Laguna Niguel, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) taking over in the circle. Two more errors in the frame allowed two more unearned runs and resulted in a 6-0 deficit after three complete innings.

Northwestern got on the board in the top of the fourth courtesy of a two-out pinch hit solo home run from Sammy Albanese (Belmont, Calif./Castilleja). The shot was her second of the season.

Letourneau worked through a 1-2-3 bottom of the fourth and a scoreless fifth before leading off the top of the sixth with a leadoff walk at the plate. She gave way to pinch runner Jessica Guffey (Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain), but three-straight flyouts (including one to deep center by Olivia Duehr (Antioch, Ill./Antioch) spelled the end of the inning).

Letourneau worked around two sixth-inning singles to keep the NU deficit at five runs, but the Wildcats were unable to mount a complete comeback in the seventh.

Lamberth (9-12) took the loss, going two-plus innings and allowing five runs (two earned) on six hits and a walk. Letourneau gave up one unearned run in 4.0 innings of relief, giving up three hits while fanning three.

Northwestern returns to action May 5-6 at Michigan State in its final B1G road series of season.

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