Northwestern University Athletics
Rudd and Williams Earn Weekly Big Ten Honors
2/11/2019 3:00:00 PM | Softball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern first years Jordyn Rudd and Danielle Williams both earned weekly honors from the Big Ten following their collegiate debuts at the Titan Classic this weekend, in which the Wildcats went 4-1.
Rudd was named co-Big Ten Player of the Week, while Williams was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week along with the Big Ten Freshman of the week, as announced on Monday.
Rudd, a Greenwood, Indiana native, led Northwestern with a .467 batting average at the Titan Classic, going 7-for-15 with two home runs, three doubles, 10 RBI, two walks and three runs scored. Her 10 RBI after the first weekend of action are tied for the most among all Big Ten players.
In her first collegiate at-bat against Utah State on Friday, the first-year catcher cleared the bases with a three-RBI double and then followed it up with a double in her next at-bat. Later that day, Rudd went 2-for-2 with two home runs, a walk and five RBI in the Wildcats' 7-0 victory over Pacific.
Against Loyola Marymount on Saturday, Rudd went 2-for-3 with a double. The next day against Idaho State, she added a two-RBI single in the seventh inning to cap off a four-run rally for the 'Cats that gave them the lead.
Rudd also made an impact behind the plate as she caught every inning for the Wildcats, including three-consecutive shutouts to open the season.
Williams, a Pleasanton, California native, finished 3-0 with a 0.40 ERA (1 ER/17.2 IP) and 22 strikeouts in four appearances and two starts at the Titan Classic. She is one of just three pitchers in the conference to have three wins after the first weekend, while her 0.40 ERA is the lowest among all Big Ten pitchers who pitched at least 8.0 innings. Her 22 strikeouts lead all first-year pitchers in the conference and are the second-most overall.
In her collegiate debut against Pacific on Friday, Williams allowed just one hit while tossing a complete game shutout, finishing one out short of a no-hitter.
She followed that performance up in the Wildcats' very next game on Saturday by throwing another complete-game shutout a 1-0 win over Louisville, allowing just two hits and striking out 13.
Williams pitched the final 3.2 innings of relief and earned the win in Northwestern's 7-4 victory over Idaho State on Sunday, allowing just one run and striking out the side in the final frame. She also knocked in the game-tying and eventual game-winning run with a two-RBI single in the top of the 7th inning, marking her first collegiate hit.
The #B1GCats will be back on Friday, February 15 when they travels to Chapel Hill, N.C. for two matchups apiece against Louisville and North Carolina in the B1G/ACC Challenge.
Rudd was named co-Big Ten Player of the Week, while Williams was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week along with the Big Ten Freshman of the week, as announced on Monday.
Rudd, a Greenwood, Indiana native, led Northwestern with a .467 batting average at the Titan Classic, going 7-for-15 with two home runs, three doubles, 10 RBI, two walks and three runs scored. Her 10 RBI after the first weekend of action are tied for the most among all Big Ten players.
In her first collegiate at-bat against Utah State on Friday, the first-year catcher cleared the bases with a three-RBI double and then followed it up with a double in her next at-bat. Later that day, Rudd went 2-for-2 with two home runs, a walk and five RBI in the Wildcats' 7-0 victory over Pacific.
Against Loyola Marymount on Saturday, Rudd went 2-for-3 with a double. The next day against Idaho State, she added a two-RBI single in the seventh inning to cap off a four-run rally for the 'Cats that gave them the lead.
Rudd also made an impact behind the plate as she caught every inning for the Wildcats, including three-consecutive shutouts to open the season.
Williams, a Pleasanton, California native, finished 3-0 with a 0.40 ERA (1 ER/17.2 IP) and 22 strikeouts in four appearances and two starts at the Titan Classic. She is one of just three pitchers in the conference to have three wins after the first weekend, while her 0.40 ERA is the lowest among all Big Ten pitchers who pitched at least 8.0 innings. Her 22 strikeouts lead all first-year pitchers in the conference and are the second-most overall.
In her collegiate debut against Pacific on Friday, Williams allowed just one hit while tossing a complete game shutout, finishing one out short of a no-hitter.
She followed that performance up in the Wildcats' very next game on Saturday by throwing another complete-game shutout a 1-0 win over Louisville, allowing just two hits and striking out 13.
Williams pitched the final 3.2 innings of relief and earned the win in Northwestern's 7-4 victory over Idaho State on Sunday, allowing just one run and striking out the side in the final frame. She also knocked in the game-tying and eventual game-winning run with a two-RBI single in the top of the 7th inning, marking her first collegiate hit.
The #B1GCats will be back on Friday, February 15 when they travels to Chapel Hill, N.C. for two matchups apiece against Louisville and North Carolina in the B1G/ACC Challenge.
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