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2006 WCWS Game 1

9:35 pm Central: Nothing happened since my last entry to change the dynamics of WCWS championship series Game 1. In fact, things even deteriorated a bit more for Northwestern, as it lost 8-0 (the same score by which U of A spanked NU earlier in the season, as the ESPN2 announcers pointed out).

Arizona's Alicia Hollowell threw a no-hitter in that earlier game, and almost did so again tonight.

Northwestern did get a hit this time, but only one. A single by Jamie Dotson leading off the bottom of the fifth broke up Hollowell's bid for a repeat no-hitter over NU. Combining the earlier no-hitter with tonight's game, Hollowell ended up pitching 10 straight hitless innings against the Purple* (not 11, as I had written earlier, as the previous game ended after six innings due to the "run rule" or "mercy rule").

*Since Arizona and Northwestern are both the Wildcats, I'm having to come up with alternative designations for the teams!

8:15 pm Central: Northwestern "air-mails" the throw to first on an infield grounder -- Arizona now has second and third with no out in the fourth... Sac fly, 6-0... Northwestern gets out with no further damage.

7:45 pm Central: Arizona has gotten off to a 2-0 start in the top of the third and there are still no outs. Northwestern pitcher Eileen Canney got off to an "un-Canney" start, leading Coach Kate Drohan to pull her in the top of the third, after U of A put its first two runners on second and third. Courtnay Foster is now pitching for NU.

Northwestern tried to throw out the lead runner on an infield grounder, but she was safe, making it 1-0. An infield pop-up on which Northwestern re-enacted the Keystone Kops made it 2-0.

It's now 3-0, as an Arizona fly ball drops in front of the Northwestern left-fielder. Northwestern has just gotten the next two U of A batters out, but there are runners on second and third...

Taryne Mowatt belts one to the wall in left, 5-0.

Northwestern finally gets out of its nightmare inning.

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