May 20, 2007
Box Score
EVANSTON, Ill. -
The story of the game unfolded much like yesterday's matchup between No. 25 Illinois State and No. 6 Northwestern. The Redbirds got an early lead but couldn't hold on, as one bad inning resulted in a 4-1 loss to the Wildcats at Sharon J. Drysdale Field, Sunday afternoon.
Illinois State ends the 2007 season with a 44-17-1 mark, notching the 40-plus win plateau for just the fourth time in school history. With the victory, the Wildcats improve to 48-11. Northwestern won its second consecutive NCAA Regional on their home field, and advanced to the NCAA Super Regional field of 16 teams.
Stacy Birk became the first Redbird base runner in the bottom of the third and came around to score on a Jackie Williams fielder's choice. Casey Gorrell picked up the first ISU hit of the day, advancing Birk to third on a single to right center field. Williams then hit a dribbler to the Northwestern shortstop, who threw home but Wildcat catcher Erin Dyer couldn't tag the sliding Birk as Illinois State took a 1-0 lead.
Redbird starter Shannon Nicholson walked the tying run in the top of the fourth, pitching four balls to Nicole Pauly, who led off the inning for the NU lineup. Dyer advanced to second on a wild pitch and then took third on an Erin Dyer sacrifice bunt. Pauly scored when Jessica Miller hit a weak line drive to Kaprice Williams at shortstop, who dove to catch the ball but came up short. Miller's RBI tied the game at one run apiece.
With one out in the top of the fifth, Northwestern leadoff batter Katie Logan roped a line drive into center field that hit the fence and was just inches away from being a home run. But Logan didn't have to wait long to score when the next batter Tammy Williams laced a single into right field, plating Logan to give the Wildcats a 2-1 lead. Birk came in to take over pitching duties for Illinois State, at that point, but threw a wild pitch in her first windup to advance Williams to scoring position. Birk then hit Garland Cooper with her next pitch to put runners on first and second. With another wild pitch, both runners advanced a base and then scored when Pauly hit a single through the left side of the infield. Pauly's pair of RBI pushed the Northwestern lead to 4-1.
However, Illinois State couldn't put together a rally, notching just three hits in the ballgame as the home team took the 4-1 win and NCAA Regional Championship. Kara Nelson, Jessie Buker and Gorrell each collected a single hit for the `Birds. ISU left six runners on base, three of which were in scoring position with one out or less.
The Redbirds advanced to the post-season for the sixth time in school history and advanced to the NCAA Regional Championship game for the third time in the history of the program. Illinois State is now 9-12 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
