Saturday, February 23, 2008

Softball: NU suffers first loss of the season

Off to a great 5-0 start following a Lauren Delaney no-hit performance in a 7-0 defeat of Oregon, Northwestern faced San Diego State in the second game of the twi-night doubleheader. San Diego State scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to hand NU its first loss of the season, 3-2.

The Aztecs defeated No. 9 Arizona earlier in the day to push their record to 11-1, while the Wildcats' defeat of Oregon and loss to San Diego State puts their record at 5-1.

San Diego State scored the game's first two runs in the bottom of the first by capitalizing on a leadoff walk, two singles and a balk from pitcher Jessica Smith.

Down 2-0, NU scored both of its runs in the fourth inning on a series of plays, highlighted by Erin and Kelly Dyer. Erin hit a two-out solo home run, her second of the year to bring the Cats within a run. Kelly then singled to left center, moved to second on a single by Robin Thompson and scored on an erratic throw.

After the Aztecs' first batter of the sixth inning doubled, Lauren Delaney came into the game in the sixth inning and worked out of the jam.

In the seventh, however, an Aztec reached base on a one-out walk, and moved to third on a throw that dribbled away from first base. A two out bloop single scored the runner from third.

Tammy Williams recorded two hits for the sixth consecutive game to start the season.

On Saturday the Cats will face a pair of ranked teams, No. 6 LSU and No. 25 Texas, seeking to get back on track.

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