#B1GCats Extend Winning Streak To 16 in Doubleheader Sweep vs. Illinois

4/23/2019 8:37:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Kate Drohan Postgame Gm 1 Box Score (PDF)Gm 2 Box Score (PDF)

EVANSTON, Ill. – No. 14 Northwestern continued its hot stretch of play on Tuesday as they swept their in-state rival Illinois in an afternoon doubleheader at Sharon J. Drysdale Field in the Wildcats' final home games of the regular season.

The Wildcats took game one of the afternoon, 8-0, in a run rule victory as Danielle Williams earned her 11th shutout of the season. Williams remained in the circle to begin the second game and tossed 5.0 stellar innings, while her fellow first-year Jordyn Rudd blasted a grand slam to propel the Wildcats to a 4-2 victory.

The #B1GCats have now won 16-straight games, marking the program's longest winning streak since 1985, and are a perfect 17-0 in Big Ten play on the season.

Williams registered 15 strikeouts in 10.0 combined innings over the two games while allowing just seven hits and two runs, both of which came via a solo homer in game two. The first-year from Pleasanton, Calif. has won each of her last 13 starts and improves to 25-3 on the season, already the seventh-most wins by an NU pitcher in the regular season, while upping her season strikeout total to 237.

Rudd homered in both of the Wildcats' games, driving in five runs to bring her season total to a team-high 45 RBI. Also turning in a multi-hit performance was Maeve Nelson, who had three RBI in game one including a two-run homer.

Also at the plate, Morgan Nelson extended her reached-base streak to 19-straight games, the longest by any Wildcat batter this seaoson, with two walks in the first game and a single in game two.

As they have for much of the season, the Wildcats wasted no time getting on the board in game one as they plated three runs in the bottom of the first. Rachel Lewis opened the hitting with a single up the middle and eventually came around to score after beating out a throw at home plate. Later that inning, the 'Cats capitalized on an Illini error with two outs, allowing Cuchran and Rudd to both score.

With a three-run lead, Williams cruised in the circle and then helped her own cause in the bottom of the third with an opposite field homer, her second long ball of the season, to score her and Lily Novak.

The homers continued in the fourth inning as Maeve Nelson launched a two-run shot to left field, her ninth of the season. Moments later, Rudd crushed a solo homer to extend the #B1GCats lead to eight.

Williams held the Illini in check to start game two, allowing just one hit in her first 3.0 innings of work. The first three batters reached base in the bottom of the third after Skyler Shellmyer led the inning off with a single, Lewis drew a walk and Morgan Nelson beat out a bunt single to fill the baes. With two outs and two strikes, Rudd came through with a grand slam to center field, marking her second grand slam in a five-day span.
Morgan Newport entered to pitch in the top of the sixth inning and secured a two-inning save after allowing just one hit while striking out three. Newport has now allowed just one run and four combined hits over her last four appearances (9.1 IP).

Northwestern finished 13-1 at home during the regular season, closing on a 10-game winning streak. Chicago's Big Ten Team will be back in action this weekend when they travel to East Lansing for a three-game series against Michigan State beginning at 5 p.m. CT on Friday, April 26.