Northwestern University Athletics
Danielle Williams Named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week
4/20/2021 3:10:00 PM | Softball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Danielle Williams was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season, the conference announced on Tuesday.
Last Friday, Williams tossed the fifth perfect game in program history, striking out six batters and throwing just 90 pitches in 7.0 innings. It marked the first no-hitter or perfect game of Williams' career, having thrown a one-hit shutout a total of seven times prior to last week.
Williams is the first Northwestern pitcher to throw a perfect game since Eileen Canney did so in a 10-0 (5 inn.) win vs. Illinois on Apr. 1, 2005. She is also the first Northwestern pitcher with a seven-inning perfect game since Lisa Ishikawa in 1984.
Williams followed up her historic performance on Saturday by striking out five of the six batters she faced over 2.0 innings en route to earning her first save of the season in a 9-7 Wildcat win. She then stayed in the game for the second leg of a Saturday doubleheader and earned another win, allowing no earned runs in 5.2 innings while striking out nine to improve to 12-2 on the season. Ultimately, Williams retired the first 32 Hawkeye batters she faced over the weekend and finished with a .118 batting average against and 20 strikeouts in 14.2 innings pitched.
This marks the fifth total Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honor for Williams since the 2019 season. Northwestern softball is back in action this weekend for a four-game series at #20 Michigan.
Last Friday, Williams tossed the fifth perfect game in program history, striking out six batters and throwing just 90 pitches in 7.0 innings. It marked the first no-hitter or perfect game of Williams' career, having thrown a one-hit shutout a total of seven times prior to last week.
Williams is the first Northwestern pitcher to throw a perfect game since Eileen Canney did so in a 10-0 (5 inn.) win vs. Illinois on Apr. 1, 2005. She is also the first Northwestern pitcher with a seven-inning perfect game since Lisa Ishikawa in 1984.
Williams followed up her historic performance on Saturday by striking out five of the six batters she faced over 2.0 innings en route to earning her first save of the season in a 9-7 Wildcat win. She then stayed in the game for the second leg of a Saturday doubleheader and earned another win, allowing no earned runs in 5.2 innings while striking out nine to improve to 12-2 on the season. Ultimately, Williams retired the first 32 Hawkeye batters she faced over the weekend and finished with a .118 batting average against and 20 strikeouts in 14.2 innings pitched.
This marks the fifth total Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honor for Williams since the 2019 season. Northwestern softball is back in action this weekend for a four-game series at #20 Michigan.
Players Mentioned
P/U
/ SoftballSoftball - 'Cats Earn Series Sweep, Earn 8-0 Run-Rule Win Over Michigan State (4/19/20)
Monday, April 20
Softball - Wildcats Secure Series Victory with 8-7 Win vs. Michigan State (4/18/26)
Saturday, April 18
Softball - Marina Mason Tosses One-Hit Shutout, 'Cats Run-Rule Michigan State, 10-0 (4/17/26)
Saturday, April 18
Softball - Wildcats Earn Series Sweep at Penn State with 17-3 Run-Rule (4/12/26)
Sunday, April 12
