Recently in Softball Category
Michigan 11, Ohio State 0
The No. 12 University of Michigan softball team blasted three home runs, including a grand slam from junior Caitlin Blanchard, and sophomore Sara Driesenga pitched a complete game shutout for an 11-0 run-rule victory in five innings over Ohio State on Saturday at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field. It marked the seventh shutout of the season for the Wolverines and the second in Big Ten play. RECAP
Minnesota 2, Wisconsin 1
Senior catcher Kari Dorle drove a one-out double down the left field line to score sophomore shortstop Tyler Walker from second base, giving Minnesota a 2-1 walk-off victory over No. 23/25 Wisconsin on Saturday in the home opener for the Gophers. The win for Minnesota followed a two-hour, 27-minute rain delay in the opening game of a three-game weekend series. Friday's game was postponed due to poor weather, and the teams will play a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. RECAP
Northwestern 8, Illinois 0
One day after Northwestern no-hit Illinois at Sharon J. Drysdale Field, senior Meghan Lamberth nearly repeated the feat with a career-best one-hit shutout in an 8-0 (5) run-rule victory over the Illini. Lamberth (7-4) needed just 68 pitches and allowed only two base runners, one early in the game on an error and another on a one-out fifth-inning hit. She fanned three in the game and notched her fourth shutout of the season. RECAP
Purdue 7, Michigan State 2
The Boilermaker softball team had a base runner in every inning and scored in four stanzas en route to a 7-2 win over Michigan State on Saturday to even the weekend series at a game apiece. Purdue scored its seven runs on 10 hits and two MSU miscues, while holding the Spartans to two runs on five hits and an error. Eight different players posted hits for the Boilermakers, including sophomore Ashley Burkhardt and junior Danielle Fletcher, who each managed two hits. RECAP
Penn State 3, Indiana 0
Freshman Macy Jones held Indiana to just five hits as Penn State used a three-run sixth to earn its first Big Ten victory of the season, 3-0. Jones (7-9) struck out six Hoosiers over 6.2 innings of work after relieving starter Christy Von Pusch in the first as Penn State notched its second shutout of the year. Senior Cassidy Bell finished the day 2-2 at the plate with a single, double and two walks while Jones and senior Alyssa Renwick both produced a pair of hits against the Hoosiers, as well. Renwick and freshmen Lexi Knief and Reina Furuya tallied one RBI apiece. RECAP
Nebraska 11, Iowa 1
Not even a nearly two-hour rain delay could slow the Husker offense on Saturday, as the 19th-ranked Nebraska softball team produced a season-high 17 hits in an 11-1 five-inning victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes at Pearl Field. The Huskers bounced back from a disappointing loss in the series opener on Friday, scoring runs in each of the first four innings on Saturday. Nebraska plated four runs in the first inning, three runs in the second, one run in the third and three runs in the fourth, following the lengthy rain delay. RECAP
Indiana 4, Penn State 3
After trailing Penn State 3-2 into the sixth inning, the Indiana softball team was able to manufacture a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame and hang on to an eventual 4-3 win over the Nittany Lions in the Hoosiers' first Big Ten conference victory at Andy Mohr Field. Indiana improves to within one game under the .500 mark on the year (18-19) and 2-5 in conference games, while Penn State falls to 7-22 (0-6 Big Ten). The Hoosiers have also extended their home win streak to eight games and improve to 34-6 in Bloomington since the beginning of the 2011 campaign. RECAP
Iowa 6, Nebraska 2
The University of Iowa softball team defeated No. 19 Nebraska, 6-2, in the series opener of a three-game set on Friday night at Pearl Field. The Hawkeyes used another solid outing from junior starter Kayla Massey and a big offensive output from sophomore Megan Blank to earn their sixth victory over a top-25 opponent. Blank got things rolling early, lining a two-run homer over the fence in right in the first inning to give the Hawkeyes a 2-0 lead. Iowa is 16-2 this season when scoring first. RECAP
Michigan 5, Ohio State 1
Freshman Sierra Romero belted a first-inning home run to give the No. 12 University of Michigan softball team an early lead that it never relinquished on the way to a 5-1 win over Ohio State today (Friday, April 5) at the Wilpon Complex, home of Alumni Field. Michigan extended its win streak to 11 games, its longest since 2011 (24 straight wins). The Wolverines pushed their win steak to open Big Ten Conference play to seven games, their best start since 2010 (13 wins). RECAP
Northwestern 8, Illinois 0
Northwestern softball's newest promotion is no-hit Fridays at Sharon J. Drysdale Field! For the second time in as many weeks, sophomore Amy Letourneau (Laguna Niguel, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) allowed no hits and the Wildcats walked off with an 8-0 (5) run-rule victory over Illinois. Letourneau's (11-8) no-hitter is the second of her career and it follows a seven-inning no-no in a 6-2 NU win over Minnesota last Friday, March 29, at Sharon J. Drysdale Field. The April 5 installment needed just five innings of work and featured eight strikeouts against eight walks. RECAP
Michigan State 3, Purdue 2
Michigan State University softball defeated Purdue to improve its record to 20-13 overall and 6-0 in conference games. Junior Kelly Smith tallied seven strikeouts and sophomore Ellie Stoffer led the offense with two RBIs. It equals MSU's best start in Big Ten play since 2006. RECAP
Michigan State at Purdue
Game 1 - Friday, 4 p.m.
Game 2 - Saturday, 1 p.m.
Game 3 - Sunday, 1 p.m.
Illinois at Northwestern
Game 1 - Friday, 5 p.m.
Game 2 - Saturday, 2 p.m.
Game 1 - Sunday, 1 p.m.
Penn State at Indiana
Game 1 - Friday, 6 p.m., BTN.com
Game 2 - Saturday, 1 p.m., BTN.com
Game 3 - Sunday, 1 p.m.
Ohio State at Michigan
Game 1 - Friday, 6 p.m., BTN.com
Game 2 - Saturday, 2 p.m., BTN.com
Game 3 - Sunday, 1 p.m., BTN.com
Wisconsin at Minnesota
Game 1 - Friday, 7 p.m.
Game 2 - Saturday, 3 p.m.
Game 3 - Sunday, 2 p.m.
Nebraska at Iowa
Game 1 - Friday, 7:30 p.m., BTN.com
Game 2 - Saturday, 6 p.m., BTN.com
Game 3 - Sunday, 2 p.m.
Conference Results
Michigan State 4, Penn State 1 (Game 1); Michigan State 7, Penn State 1 (Game 2)
Michigan State softball gathered two wins in a doubleheader sweep over Penn State Wednesday at Secchia Stadium. MSU picked up a 4-1 win in the first game and then went on to defeat the Nittany Lions, 7-1, in the second game. The Spartans now own a 19-13 record on the season overall and are 5-0 in Big Ten play. The last 5-0 Big Ten start for the Spartans was in 2006 while the last five consecutive Big Ten wins for MSU was in 2007. RECAP
Non-Conference Results
Indiana State 6, Illinois 5
Iowa 18, Drake 0
Nebraska 4, Creighton 3
IUPUI 3, Purdue 2
Purdue 18, IUPUI 2
Penn State at Michigan State (DH), 3 p.m.
Indiana State at Illinois, 7 p.m., BTN.com
Iowa at Drake, 5 p.m.
Nebraska at Creighton, 7 p.m.
Purdue at IUPUI (DH), 4 p.m.
Northwestern sophomore Amy Letourneau today swept both National Player of the Week awards, earning the Louisville Slugger/NFCA honor and the USA Softball College accolade.
The awards come on the heels of being named the B1G Player of the Week on Monday. Letourneau and the Wildcats return to action at 4 p.m. CT today against Loyola (Chicago) at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.
"Amy has had great poise in big moments this season, and that is what it comes down to," head coach Kate Drohan said. "When we have to get an out in the circle or need that two-out RBI base hit, Amy is getting it done. She is really locked in right now."
"This is such an amazing honor to be chosen for this award, especially with all of the great players around the country who have earned it already this season," Letourneau said. "We had a great week of preparation leading up to last weekend and it really helped us perform and take the next step as a team. We are playing with such a winning attitude right now both on defense and in the batter's box, and I have been able to feed off of that confidence."
Complete Northwestern Release
Indiana 7, Indiana State 0
Loyola (Chicago) 1, Northwestern 0
Three Big Ten softball teams appear in the latest national rankings released by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and USA Softball on Tuesday. Michigan climbs to No. 12 in both polls this week and leads the Big Ten contingent in the rankings. Nebraska also rose in the rankings, climbing two spots to No. 22 in the NFCA poll, while holding steady at 19th in the USA Softball standings. Wisconsin makes its first appearance in the national rankings since 2002, checking in at No. 23 in the USA Softball poll and No. 25 in the NFCA standings. Iowa is among the squads also receiving votes in the USA Softball rankings.
Indiana State at Indiana, 6 p.m.
Loyola (Chicago) at Northwestern, 5 p.m.
Nebraska 7, Illinois 1
The 19th-ranked Nebraska softball team earned a series victory at Illinois with a 7-1 victory in the third and final game on Sunday afternoon at Eichelberger Field. The win improved Nebraska's record to 25-7 on the year, including a 4-1 mark in Big Ten Conference play. The Huskers won a Big Ten road series for only the second time, after losing three of their four conference road series last season. Nebraska also improved to 8-2 in true road games this season, eclipsing last year's total of road wins (7-12). RECAP
Michigan State 2, Indiana 1 (8)
Michigan State softball swept Indiana with a 2-1 win in the final game of the series Sunday afternoon at Secchia Stadium. The Spartans improved their record to 17-13 on the season, 3-0 in Big Ten play. Junior Kelly Smith pitched the complete game. Senior Jayme O'Bryant earned the only MSU RBI. RECAP
Northwestern 4, Minnesota 2
After throwing a no-hitter in the opening game of Northwestern's series with Minnesota Friday at Sharon J. Drysdale Field, sophomore Amy Letourneau picked up another win in the circle while homering at the plate in a 4-2 victory in Sunday's series finale. The win improves NU to 16-13 overall on the season, 2-3 in the Big Ten while Minnesota now is 21-12 overall, 4-2 in the conference. The Wildcats took the series over the Gophers, 2-1. RECAP
Ohio State 5, Purdue 3 (10)
Highlighted by back-to-back home runs in the tenth inning, the Ohio State softball team claimed the final win of a three-game series vs. Purdue, defeating the Boilermakers, 5-3, Sunday afternoon at Buckeye Field. With two down, junior Evelyn Carrillo and sophomore Maddy McIntyre launched back-to-back long balls in the top of the tenth to help Ohio State to the conference win. RECAP
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