Second meeting between No. 9 Wildcats and No. 23 Michigan postponed
The series opener on Friday was quite the thrill for the now 23-4 (4-0 Big Ten) Wildcats, with a comeback walk-off win thanks to a bases-loaded "oopsie" infield single by senior catcher Jordyn Rudd with two outs in the ninth inning. Senior pitcher Danielle Williams also dominated with 16 strikeouts on the day and allowing just one earned run in the eventual 4-3 win.
The Wildcats comeback from an early 3-0 deficit began in the second inning with a towering home run from senior shortstop Maeve Nelson, who, for the second time in her Northwestern career, hit the roof of Welsh-Ryan Arena in the process.
Back-to-back home runs from graduate outfielder Rachel Lewis and Jordyn Rudd tied the game in the bottom of the sixth, where the score would remain tied at 3 until Rudd would clinch the victory–Northwestern's first home victory over the Wolverines since 2009–three innings later.
For Saturday's matchup, it was a battle of younger pitchers, as sophomore Lauren Boyd got the start for the Wildcats against freshman Wolverine Lauren Derkowski. Boyd got out of potential trouble early, as Michigan's graduate transfer Kristina Burkhardt earned a lead-off walk and got all the way to third following consecutive groundouts, but was stranded there to end the first.
As a wintery mix of snow and rain continued to fall at Sharon J. Drysdale Field, Maeve Nelson seemed to continue her hot streak at the plate with a 2-run blast over the left field fence. However, the home run was called back and the inning brought to an end due to a running miscue on the bases by Rudd, who was ruled out of the base path, erasing what would have been a 2-0 Wildcats lead going into the second inning.
With two outs in the top of the third, the weather proved to be an issue as the game was set into a delay and the tarp was pulled on to the field.
After a lengthy delay, the second game of the top-25 series was delayed until 12 pm tomorrow, where it will pick up with Michigan batting and 2 outs in the third inning. The Big Ten foes will then play the final game of the series afterwards.
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