Northwestern softball began the week with a 6-1 loss to No. 25 DePaul Wednesday. It was a momentum-stopping loss since the Wildcats had won three of their last four games, and as the team’s ninth loss of the season to a ranked opponent, it was a painful reminder the program is not yet an elite one.
Then came a beacon of hope: a three-game set in East Lansing against the Michigan State Spartans, who are more or less the Charlotte Bobcats of Big Ten softball. The Spartans were 0-17 in the Big Ten coming into the weekend, and they proved to be just the cure for Northwestern’s inconsistent play.
Freshman first baseman Amy Letourneau had seven RBIs (runs batted in) in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, leading Northwestern’s offensive explosion. The Wildcats capitalized on steady hitting and Michigan State’s errors to take an 8-0 lead after two innings. Letourneau then piled on a grand slam in the third, which put the game out of the Spartans' reach.
The offensive barrage gave sophomore pitcher Sammy Albanese plenty of wiggle room, which she didn't need. In her ninth start of the year, Albanese dominated, only allowing one run on two hits in the game’s five innings (NCAA softball games end after five innings if one team is up by eight or more runs).
In the second game of the double-dip, Letourneau took to the mound as the starting pitcher and picked up right where Albanese left off. She allowed only one run and four hits in seven innings, giving Northwestern a 5-1 victory.
In the first inning of Sunday’s game, sophomore third baseman Marisa Bast connected for the team’s second grand slam of the weekend. The Wildcats then added two runs in the third and another two in the fourth to once again invoke the mercy rule in their 8-0, five-inning win.
Junior Meghan Lambert won her tenth game of the season and continued Northwestern’s weekend of powerful pitching. She gave up two runs in her shutout victory, and the Wildcats only allowed eight hits in their three wins.
Northwestern has a winning record (11-10) in the Big Ten for the first time since the end of the 2010 season. They are now seventh in the conference. However, they may owe some of their offensive prowess this weekend to the Spartans’ horrendous pitching. Michigan State has an earned run average (ERA) of 6.47, the worst in the Big Ten. Indiana, the second lowest, is almost two runs better at 4.59.
Regular season play will wrap up during next weekend’s home stand against Illinois.