Cue the dramatic music and video montage. DePaul upended Western Illinois yesterday6-0 to make it to the regional championship today. The Blue Demons suffered a 6-0 loss to the Cats yesterday afternoon and now have to defeat them twice to make it to the super regional.
Northwestern could not be sitting any prettier with two wins under its belt. The team has played some of its best softball of the season right now behind the hard-throwing arm of Lauren Delaney. The sophomore pitcher has not given up a run in the past 35 innings. That includes all five games of the postseason. She is really on top of her game.
The Cats got to Becca Heteniak yesterday. She is a very good pitcher and should be able to bounce back. This second game should be a lot closer than yesterday's. But I would expect NU to easily sweep its way into the super regional.
First Inning: DePaul looks like they will not go quietly into this good night... or windy afternoon. Amber Patton leads off the game with a double to left-center field. The Blue Demons have now equaled the number of runners they got into scoring position from yesterday's game. This is not the same team from yesterday and this will certainly not be the same game.
But despite the leadoff runner and a single which moved her to third, Delaney closes the door and extends her run-less streak. After an illegal steal, a strikeout and a groundout to third, NU keeps the game scoreless heading to the bottom of the inning.
Second Inning: Cats defense continues to have problems. With one out Nicole Pauly and Tammy Williams collide into each other going for pop out and then Robin Thompson struggles to field a grounder. Instead of the inning being over, DePaul suddenly has another inning with a very realistic scoring chance.
So what do you do when your defense is not doing well? Get the batter out at the plate. Delaney strands another runner in scoring position getting two strikeouts to end the inning and the threat.
Third Inning: that scoreless streak looks like it is going to end soon. DePaul again gets its leadoff runners on and everyone looks a little tentative. Delaney just had a ball grounded right to her and she hesitated making the decision to throw to first or take the leadoff runner at second.
Time for the defense to return the favor. Jackie Tarulli-Fisher lines out to Tammy Williams and she throws it easily to second for the double play. A great defensive play and despite being outplayed so far, NU is still in very much in this game. Order is coming back around and that is when the Cats usually do their damage.
NU finally gets a fortuitous bounce as Darcy Sengewald leads off the inning by reaching second base on a throwing error. Then Tammy Williams asks, "What slump?" by crushing a ball to straight-away center field. That is a 2-0 lead with an exclamation point!
Fourth Inning: The Blue Demons make a bunch of changes including pitcher Lindsey Dean for starter Becca Heteniak. In an odder move, they pull catcher Jackie Tarulli-Fisher in the middle of an at bat. Sign of a desperate team?
Fifth Inning: DePaul not going away that easily. A lead-off walk and single threatens NU again. A sacrifice bunt puts two runners in scoring position with the meat of the lineup coming to the plate. Delaney gets big hitter Sandy Vojik to strike out looking.
But Tarulli-Fisher comes up big with a two-run single to center field. NU played with fire all game and DePaul finally made the team pay. Tie game now entering the final two and a half innings.
Sixth Inning: Delaney retires the Blue Demons in order for the first time today. But the Cats cannot get anything going in the bottom. The game remains tied at two entering the final inning of regulation.
Seventh Inning: Leadoff runner Amber Patton reaches third on a close stolen base. Heteniak gave up NU's two runs as the pitcher, but she gave DePaul the run it needed to take the lead. She singles back up the middle to give the Blue Demons the lead.
The Cats have Darcy Sengewald, Jordan Wheeler and Tammy Williams due up to try and make the comeback.
Wheeler makes it to third base thanks to som clutch small-ball hitting. But NU needed the big bats. Heteniak comes back in as the pitcher and strikes out Nicole Pauly to end the inning. DePaul holds on for a 3-2 win, forcing a decisive game three.
Expect the same faces on all sides for this one in what should promise to be an exciting conclusion to the Evanston Regional of the NCAA Tournament.
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