Northwestern Softball
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2014 NORTHWESTERN SOFTBALL @NUSBCats #B1GCATS 2014 Schedule (18-6, 2-1 B1G) No. 23 B1GCats Welcome No. 19 Huskers to Chicago Date Opponent Time (CT)/Result The Preview The Schedule FEBRUARY No. 23 Northwestern welcomes No. • Friday, March 28, 11:30 a.m. CT 7-8 Kajikawa Classic—Tempe, Ariz. 7 vs. No. 22 Stanford L, 4-3 19 Nebraska to Chicago this weekend for a matchup of B1G and national powers. In 7 vs. New Mexico W, 10-0 (5) vs. No. 19 Nebraska (Ballpark at Rosemont) 8 vs. Utah W, 12-11 addition to their rankings, Nebraska is No. 9 • Saturday, March 29, 4 p.m. CT 8 vs. Boise State W, 13-2 (5) 14-16 Tiger Invitational—Baton Rouge, La. 14 vs. George Washington W, 12-11 of the 2014 season. 14 at No. 21 LSU L, 4-0 vs. No. 19 Nebraska (Ballpark at Rosemont) and NUThis is series, No. 22 as in withthe first most NCAA for teams RPI data 15 vs. No. 18 South Alabama W, 2-1 across the country during this wacky weath- OR 15 vs. George Washington W, 10-3 Game 3 of this series is TBD. It will be either: 16 vs. Penn State W, 11-1 (5) er spring, has been adjusted from its original • Sunday, March 30, Noon CT in Evanston 21-23 Nutter Collegiate Classic—Cathedral City, Calif. • Saturday, March 29, 6 p.m. CT in Rosemont 21 vs. No. 3 Washington W, 4-2 schedule and location. Game one will start at 21 vs. No. 18 Oklahoma L, 11-9 11:30 a.m. CT Friday, March 28, at the Ball- 22 vs. San Diego State W, 4-2 22 vs. LIU Brooklyn W, 14-1 (5) • Wednesday, April 2, 4 p.m. CT Bandits. Game will be at 4 p.m. CT Saturday, 23 vs. No. 15 Baylor L, 4-0 vs. UIC (Sharon J. Drysdale Field) park at Rosemont, home of the NPF Chicago MARCH and will be played either as the nightcap of 28-2 Louisville Slugger—Fullerton/Lakewood, Calif. Feb 28 vs. Louisville Canceled March 29, in Rosemont. Game three is TBD Feb 28 at Cal State Fullerton Canceled as a single game at noon CT Sunday, March 1 vs. UC Santa Barbara W, 10-1 (5) a Saturday doubleheader in Rosemont or 1 vs. No. 5 UCLA Canceled 2 vs. Long Beach State Canceled Evanston. That determination will be made on30, Saturday. at NU’s home Sharon J. Drysdale Field in 7-9 UA Showcase—Tampa/Clearwater, Fla. 7 vs. Kansas W, 4-3 Nebraska brings a 21-10 overall record 7 at South Florida W, 7-2 into this weekend and is 1-2 in the Big Ten 8 vs. LIU Brooklyn W, 10-0 (5) after facing No. 15 Minnesota last week. NU IN THESE NOTES 8 vs. Western Michigan W, 5-0 9 vs. Boston College L, 4-3 took a series against Wisconsin to open B1G • Head Coach Kate Drohan (PAGE 2) play and is 18-6 overall, 2-1 in the league. • Social Notes (PAGE 3) 21 WISCONSIN (at Rosemont) o W, 8-6 (8) • NCAA Statistical Rankings (PAGE 4) 21 WISCONSIN (at Rosemont) o W, 4-2 Northwestern’s offense has continued 22 WISCONSIN (at Rosemont) o L, 7-5 to shine all season long; the Wildcats cur- • Big Ten Overall Stat Rankings (PAGE 5) 26 at Northern Illinois (at Rosemont) W, 13-2 (5) rently rank fourth in the country with a .344 • National Polls (PAGE 7) 27 at No. 25 Notre Dame Canceled • NU Single-Game Records (PAGE 7) 28 No. 19 NEBRASKA o 4 p.m. CT batting average and sixth with 7.21 runs per 29 No. 19 NEBRASKA o 1 p.m. CT game. Nebraska’s pitching has been strong • Single-Season/Career Records (PAGES 8/9) 30 No. 19 NEBRASKA o Noon CT this year, limiting foes to a .210 average. • Complete Roster Information (PAGE 10) APRIL These numbers are impressive on both 4 at Iowa o 6 p.m. CT sides because each program takes a similar 2014 SOFTBALL QUICK FACTS 5 at Iowa o 2 p.m. CT 6 at Iowa o 1 p.m. CT approach to scheduling, facing the toughest 11 at Minnesota o 6 p.m. CT possible nonconference slate. Head Coach ............. Kate Drohan (Providence, ‘95) Record at NU .......................435-234-1 (13th season) 12 at Minnesota o 1 p.m. CT Tickets for 2014 Northwestern softball 13 at Minnesota o 1 p.m. CT Overall Record ....................................................... Same 16 at Loyola (Chicago) 4 p.m. CT Associate Head Coach ............................Caryl Drohan 18 INDIANA o 4 p.m. CT online at NUsports.com or by calling Assistant Coach..................................Courtnay Foster 19 INDIANA o 1 p.m. CT are ON SALE NOW and can be purchased 20 INDIANA o Noon CT Volunteer Assistant Coach .......................Jenna Grim 22 at Illinois (DH) o 4 p.m. CT 2013 Overall Record ...............................................31-22 25 at Ohio State o 5 p.m. CT for888-GO-PURPLE groups of 15 or (467-8775). more. For softballTickets ticketare $7- 2013 NCAA Finish ...................................................... N/A 26 at Ohio State o 1 p.m. CT ingfor adults,questions $4 foror foryouth group and sales, seniors, contact and $3Joe 2013 Big Ten Record/Finish ..........................12-10/5th 27 at Ohio State o Noon CT NU All-Time Record ...................................1,085-773-4 30 at DePaul 4 p.m. CT Thuente at 847-467-6862 or j-thuente@ Letterwinners Returning/Lost ............................. 16/2 northwestern.edu. Tickets for this weekend MAY Starters Returning/Lost ...........................................9/2 2 MICHIGAN STATE o 4 p.m. CT Press Box Phone................................(847) 467-0803 3 MICHIGAN STATE o 1 p.m. CT 4 MICHIGAN STATE o Noon CT will be available at the gate in Rosemont. Athletic Communications Contact Information: 8-10 Big Ten Tournament—Evanston, Ill. Office Phone: (847) 491-3688 • Office Fax: (847) 491-8818 All times Central • Home games in BOLD CAPS • o Big Ten games Softball Contact: Doug Meffley • (847) 833-2471 (cell) • @VoiceOfMeffley Email Address: [email protected] 2014 NORTHWESTERN SOFTBALL • CHICAGO’S BIG TEN TEAM HEAD COACH KATE DROHAN LEADING OFF Northwestern head coach Kate Drohan is in her 13th season at the helm of Northwestern’s Record-Setting Offensive Explosions the Wildcats’ program Northwestern is averaging 7.21 runs per game in 2014, reaching double digits 10 times alongside her twin sister, and run-ruling seven opponents. Eighteen times through 24 games NU has scored four or Caryl Drohan. A 1995 more runs in a single inning. That offensive output ranks sixth best in the country while graduate of Providence NU’s .344 team batting average is fourth-best. NU is getting base knocks from every spot who earned three All-BIG EAST honors as a player, at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic and the bottom three in the Wildcats’ lineup on the Drohan spent three @KateDrohan in the order. In fact, No. 9 batter Paige Tonz led the ’Cats with a .545 average in five games seasons as an assistant with Boston College whole finished 15-for-42 (.357) at that event. On Feb. 8 versus Boise State, NU sent 15 before coming to NU as an assistant prior to the batters to the plate in the first frame, scoring 11 runs to break the program record of 10 1998 season. She was promoted to head coach in runs in a single inning set in 2000 against Purdue. 11 times through 20 games this year 2002 after the retirement of NFCA Hall of Fame RankingNorthwestern the has Wildcats scored five or more runs in a single inning. Coach Sharon J. Drysdale. Below are several need- Northwestern re-entered the USA Today to-know numbers about Kate and Caryl Drohans’ This week, the Wildcats held strong at No. 23 in their third week in this year’s ranking. The Northwestern tenure: /NFCA top-25 at No. 25 in the March 11 edition. spending 22-straight polls in the top-10 until dropping to No. 12 on March 11, 2008. Wins at Northwestern, ranking Wildcats were ranked in 76-consecutive NFCA polls from March 1, 2005, to March 2, 2010, second all-time in program Northwestern’s Calling Card: Strength of Schedule 435 history. Year in and year out, no team seeks out stronger opponents than NU. That scheduling strat- egy helped the ’Cats earn No. 2 and No. 4 overall national seeds during its Women’s College Career winning percentage at World Series runs of 2006 and 2007, and it bore fruit again in 2012 when NU had the No. 1 Northwestern .650 - namentrated nonconference a year ago including strength defending of schedule national to help champion it earn an Oklahoma. NCAA Tournament In terms ofberth. poll position, This NUseason, has 18the contests Wildcats on will the take slate on against 21 teams teams that ranked qualified or receivingfor the NCAA votes Tour in the NCAA Tournament appearances USA Today poll. So far, NU has defeated No. 3 Washington and No. 18 in 12 seasons for the Wildcats - 7 under the Drohans preseason NFCA/ South Alabama, and played No. 15 Baylor, No. 18 Oklahoma, No. 21 LSU and No. 22 Stan Wildcatsford. Games Winwith No. B1G 5 UCLA Weekly and No. Awards 25 Notre on Dame Weekly were washed Basis out. NCAA Regional titles, leading to two Women’s College World 4 Series berths of the Big Ten Conference’s weekly accolades: Three times through the first five weeks of the 2014 season Northwestern has earned one • Feb.