April 29, 1998

Softball Splits with Iowa

Wildcats Clinch Big Ten Berth

Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

EVANSTON, Ill. -- The Northwestern softball team split a doubleheader with Iowa Wednesday at Anderson Field, winning game one, 4-3 in 12 innings, and dropping game two, 8-1. The win, coupled with Minnesota's loss to Wisconsin in game two of a doubleheader, assures NU of a berth in the Big Ten Tournament next weekend in Ann Arbor, Mich.

It wasn't pretty, but NU's game one win certainly was exciting. The 'Cats posted unearned runs in the second and fourth innings to take a 2-0 lead before Iowa cut the lead in half in the sixth. Iowa then tied it, 2-2, in the seventh thanks to three NU errors. The two teams battled into the 11th, where Iowa plated a run to go up, 3-2. NU fought back in the bottom half of the inning, though, as Lindsey Prezell singled with two outs and was brought home by a Jill Nesbitt double. Brittany Nelson then scored on a error in the bottom of the 12th with the game-winner. Jackie DeBoard went all 12 innings to improve her record to 22-5. She scattered eight hits and two earned runs while striking out 10.

Iowa took an 8-1 win in game two to earn a split. They scored all their runs in the first three innings and held NU to just five hits. Nesbitt added another RBI to give her 28 on the year, tying the NU single-season record. Brooke Siebel stroked her 13th double, also tying the Wildcat single-season record.

NU is now 32-16 overall, 13-8 in the Big Ten, and in second place in the conference standings. They are a half a game ahead of Iowa, who is now 33-15, 12-8 in the Big Ten. NU wraps up the 1998 home season with a three-game series this weekend at home against the Ohio State Buckeyes. There will be a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. followed by a single game Sunday at 1 p.m.