Heading into Tuesday, Notre Dame was knocking on the door of the AP Top 25, while Northwestern was struggling to move through the standings of the Big Ten.
The ‘Cats didn’t get the memo.
A nine-run bottom of the fifth pushed the Wildcats (20-14, 5-3 Big Ten) past the Fighting Irish (26-10) by an 11-3 run rule. Sophomore pitcher Amy Letourneau (13-8) tallied eight strikeouts, while Northwestern belted two home runs in windy conditions.
“I think most of us were holding our loss from last year deep inside,” Letourneau said after the game, alluding to an April 4 loss in 2012. The ‘Cats have now won three of the past four tilts by the run rule after sweeping a series over Illinois this past weekend.
Letourneau struggled with control to start the game, walking two batters and allowing runners to reach second and third before escaping the inning by inducing a fly out from designated player Cassidy Whidden. Letourneau was coming off her second no-hitter of the season Sunday.
Northwestern also put runners in scoring position in the first, but like Notre Dame, it couldn’t capitalize. Consecutive hit batters from pitcher Laura Winter loaded the bases for sophomore DP Andrea DiPrima. Winter had hit only four batters all year entering Tuesday, but was able to gun down DiPrima looking to escape unscathed.
The Wildcats cracked the scoreboard first in the second inning, when sophomore outfielder Olivia Duehr belted a home run to left that hit Ryan Field facilities. Hitting in the ninth spot, Duehr continues to surprise opposing lineups.
“I really enjoy hitting in that spot,” she said. “It’s definitely something very different you see from every other team.”
Head coach Kate Drohan agrees, pointing to Duehr’s ability to spark the lineup at the bottom end.
“She’s definitely an atypical nine-batter,” she said. “Her pitch selection has dramatically improved since last year. We like her down in the nine spot so she can get on base for the top of the order.”
The Fighting Irish fought back, notching three runs in a sloppy third inning. A passed ball from junior catcher Paige Tonz allowed outfielder Laura Stuhr to score and runners to advance to second and third. One play later, catcher Amy Buntin drilled a two-run single to the left side, bringing home outfielder Emilee Koerner and pinch runner Carly Piccinich. A throwing error allowed Buntin to advance to second.
“I didn’t think we were sharp, that’s a mental thing.”
Northwestern committed three errors in the game’s first five innings. But in the bottom of the fifth, shoddy defense was overshadowed by electric offense.
Trailing 3-2, junior third basemen Marisa Bast connected on her third home run in as many days, knotting things up to start the inning. Two batters later, DiPrima followed with a double ripped to right center gap. A walk and hit-by-pitch continued the action, and RBI singles by Letourneau, senior outfielder Kristin Scharkley, junior outfielder Mari Majam and sophomore shortstop Anna Edwards forced an 11-3 mercy rule.
“Our confidence is huge right now. We know we’re hitting well, and we can put runs up in any inning we want,” Letourneau said. “We can just lean on the fact that even if we go behind, we’ll be able to come back.”
Drohan complimented the team’s two-strike hitting ability, but knows that things need to look sharper against Big Ten rival Iowa this weekend.
“We know how tough Iowa is. They come in with good pitchers, they’re a well-coached scrappy team,” she said. “We can’t spot this team three runs.”
The Wildcats pick up their three game series on Friday at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.