Date With No. 6 Minnesota Awaits Northwestern in Minneapolis

4/13/2017 8:33:00 AM | Softball

NORTHWESTERN SOFTBALL: Minnesota Series
DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	LOCATION	COVERAGE	LIVE STATS
Friday, April 14	#6 Minnesota	6 p.m. CT	Jane Sage Cowles Stadium	BTN Plus ($)	Live Stats
Saturday, April 15	#6 Minnesota	1 p.m. CT	Jane Sage Cowles Stadium	BTN Plus ($)	Live Stats
Sunday, April 16	#6 Minnesota	Noon CT	Jane Sage Cowles Stadium	BTN Plus ($)	Live Stats
Wednesday, April 19	DePaul	4 p.m. CT	Sharon J. Drysdale Field	Studio N ($)	Live Stats
Social: Twitter (@NUSBCats and @NU_SportsLive) \| Instagram (nusbcats) \| Facebook Game Notes: Northwestern

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern hits the road this weekend for yet another series against a ranked opponent, this time taking on No. 6 Minnesota in a three-game set at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium in Minneapolis.

The entire series will be streamed live on BTN Plus on BTN2Go, beginning with a 6 p.m. CT first pitch Friday night. Game Two is set for 1 p.m. CT Saturday, April 15, before the series finale at noon CT Sunday, April 16.

The Wildcats currently have the nation's No. 1 ranked nonconference strength of schedule, but its Big Ten foes have been no picnic either. Including the series with the Gophers, nine of NU's first 12 games in league play will be against teams ranked in the NFCA Top 25 at the time of the games.

Last year, the then-No. 21 Gophers visited Evanston and took 2-of-3 from the Wildcats, but Northwestern won the final game of that series in 10-2 (5) run-rule fashion. The two teams met again in the semifinal of the 2016 Big Ten Tournament, where Minnesota prevailed by an 8-4 score.

Northwestern is coming off a 3-1 week last week that included a series victory over Maryland and a nonconference win Wednesday on the road at Loyola (Chicago). Senior Anna Petersen continued to pummel the ball, earning the second Big Ten Player of the Week award for NU this season and the first of her career. She blasted Maryland to the tune of a .750 batting average and a 1.750 slugging percentage, collecting two doubles and two home runs while driving in eight during the three-game series.

In the circle Wednesday at Loyola (Chicago), freshman Morgan Newport earned the first complete-game of her career with a season-best seven strikeout effort to pick up the victory. Newport has been primarily used in a relief role this season, appearing in a team-high 22 games with just five starts, but she has compiled a 6-4 record along with three saves in that time.

NORTHWESTERN RETURNS HOME TO HOST DePAUL, PURDUE
Following this weekend's series in Minneapolis, Northwestern returns to Sharon J. Drysdale Field for four games next week, beginning with a rescheduled contest Wednesday, April 19, against DePaul. That game was moved to accomodate the weather-postponed Illinois doubleheader from earlier this month.

NU then welcomes Purdue to town for its final weekend home series of the season April 21-23. Saturday will feature the annual Purple Auction (to be held at the Hilton Garden Inn Evanston this year) before Senior Day is celebrated Sunday, April 23.

NORTHWESTERN RELEASES STREAMING SCHEDULE FOR REMAINDER OF 2017
Once again this season, the majority of NU's games will be broadcast via BTN Plus or Studio N, two subscription platforms each requiring separate purchases. More information on each service and a helpful broadcast list are below; please note that all of these game designations are subject to change. Links to each game broadcast will be found on the schedule page at NUsports.com.

STUDIO N (11 Games): Studio N audio and video fall under a single subscription once again this year. Northwestern softball SID Doug Meffley will have six road audio broadcasts in addition to five home streams that will all be part of the Studio N package. Cost is $3.95 for a 24 hour pass, $6.95 for a monthly pass (BEST VALUE!) or $39.95 for an annual pass.