Following two 8-0 run-rule victories over Illinois in as many days, Northwestern looked to complete the sweep Sunday afternoon at Drysdale Field. Although it wasn’t quite as dominant, the Wildcats (19-14, 5-3 Big Ten) took down the Illini (11-21, 1-8) in convincing fashion once again, 7-1.
Sophomore Andrea DiPrima, junior Marisa Bast and sophomore Amy Letourneau each blasted home runs to put the game away. Letourneau followed up her no-hitter from Friday with another complete game, this time allowing just four hits while striking out eight.
The start was a little rocky for the 'Cats, as Letourneau had a walk and allowed two hits, which led to Illinois’ Allie Bauch scoring to make it 1-0. The Illini were in position to bring in another run, but senior center fielder Kristin Scharkey had a great throw home off of a fly to nail Illinois’s Jessica Davis at the plate.
“They had a really good first inning, but I think Scharkey’s throw from the outfield really shut them down,” Letourneau said, “and then our offense was on them the entire game.”
But the offense had a tough time getting going early on. In the second and third innings, five straight batters failed to get on base before junior left fielder Mari Majam connected on a double. On the next play, however, she was caught off the bag and chased down for the final out.
Letourneau continued to take care of business on the mound, and in the bottom of the fourth, she got the offense going as well. After she was hit by a pitch, DiPrima came up and homered to left field, giving the 'Cats a 2-1 lead.
In the fifth, the momentum continued. A walk, a hit-by-pitch and a single loaded the bases for Bast, who brought all runners home with a grand slam to left field that just barely stayed fair. Letourneau wanted in on the fun, and in the next at-bat, she blasted a solo shot to make it 7-1.
“Marisa’s home run was awesome, and the three batters that got on before her were just as awesome,” Letourneau said. “It really just pushed us and let us take all the momentum for the rest of the game.”
After the consecutive homers, the Illini made a change, replacing pitcher Shelese Arnold with Pepper Gay. In closing out the game, she allowed no hits and prevented any more runs from scoring.
The Illini kept on battling, and in the sixth, they looked poised to cut the deficit with the bases loaded. Letourneau looked to be a little fatigued, hitting one batter and walking another, but she stayed composed and forced a ground-out to end the inning.
“I’ve been in a lot of those kind of situations. I don’t get nervous anymore,” she said. “It actually makes me excited in order to get them out and take the momentum away from them and give it back to our team.”
The right-hander finished off Illinois in the seventh and secured the sweep. The struggling Illini still have just one Big Ten win, but Northwestern improved to 5-3 in conference play.
The Wildcats are back at it on Tuesday, when they will battle Notre Dame at Drysdale Field.