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    Northwestern Nation Part of 30-Team Field at Cathedral City Classic
    Wildcats return to collegiate softball's biggest party for fourth-straight year
    NUSPORTSDOTCOM Northwestern is quite familiar with the Big League Dreams version of its fellow North Side ballpark, Wrigley Field.
    NUSPORTSDOTCOM
    Northwestern is quite familiar with the Big League Dreams version of its fellow North Side ballpark, Wrigley Field.
     NUSPORTSDOTCOM

    Feb. 24, 2010

    Northwestern's Cathedral City Classic Notes (PDF Format) Get Acrobat Reader

    Cathedral City Classic Tournament Central

    EVANSTON, Ill. -- No. 23 Northwestern returns to collegiate softball's biggest celebration Feb. 26-28, when it travels to Big League Dreams park in Cathedral City, Calif., for the Cathedral City Classic hosted by Oregon State.

    The Wildcats are making their fourth-straight appearance at the tournament, which has grown into the biggest and best in the nation. This year's field is comprised of 30 teams, including 12 of the top-25 ranked squads in the current version of the USA Today/NFCA coaches poll.

    Northwestern begins the weekend at 12:30 p.m. CT Friday against Pacific before taking on No. 10 Stanford later in the day. On Saturday, the Wildcats play Cal Poly beginning at 2:30 p.m. CT before a primetime showdown with No. 5 UCLA at 10 p.m. CT. NU's getaway day game Sunday is a 1 p.m. CT tilt with UC Davis. All of Northwestern's afternoon games will be played at Fenway Field, with the night games taking place on Wrigley Field.

    The Wildcats dropped their first two games last weekend in Las Vegas against a pair of ranked opponents before reeling off three-consecutive victories over the likes of No. 12 California, UNLV and Utah. Sophomore Adrienne Monka was named the Big Ten Player of the Week after batting .583 with 1.417 slugging percentage and .722 on-base percentage at the tournament.

    Junior Jessica Smith had the best weekend of her collegiate career in the circle, throwing 13.2 innings and going 2-0 with an 0.51 ERA. Smith held No. 13 Oklahoma to one run in 4.2 innings of relief before defeating No. 12 Cal with 2.0 frames of scoreless relief. She also tossed her second-career 7.0 inning shutout in a three-hitter versus UNLV.

    Senior Emily Haug has made the most of the first regular starting gig of her career, currently batting .407 through 10 games at catcher, leading the team with 11 hits and 11 RBIs.

    For Northwestern's complete Cathedral City Classic game notes package, download the .pdf at the top of this page.

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