Northwestern University Athletics

'Cats Look for Big Ten Title in Regular Season Finale At Minnesota
5/5/2022 8:30:00 AM | Softball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern will close out the regular season with a three-game series at Minnesota this weekend. First pitch for the series is set for 4 p.m. CT on Friday, while Saturday's game will start at 2 p.m. CT. Sunday's finale is set for 3:30 p.m. CT. Friday's game will be televised on ESPN2, while Saturday and Sunday's broadcasts will be on Big Ten Network.
The Wildcats (38-7, 18-2 B1G) are one win or one Nebraska loss away from clinching the Big Ten title, their first since 2008 and first outright since 2006. Northwestern has won seven Big Ten titles in program history and two under Kate and Caryl Drohan.
The 'Cats are coming off a sweep of Iowa on Senior Weekend at Sharon J. Drysdale Field, outscoring the Hawkeyes 22-5 on the weekend.
Hannah Cady was named Big Ten Player of the Week for the first time in her career after posting a .625 average (5-for-8) and .727 on-base percentage (8-for-11) against Iowa. Cady hit two home runs, including her first career grand slam, and tallied six RBI in the series. This season against Big Ten opponents, Cady has posted a .393 average and 1.228 OPS, both second best on the team behind Rachel Lewis, and trails only Lewis on the conference leaderboards with seven home runs and 23 RBI.
Lewis blasted her 20th home run of the season in Friday's game against Iowa, passing Adrienne Monka's 2009 total of 19 for the second-highest single-season total in program history. She is three home runs shy of tying Garland Cooper's record of 23 home runs in 2007.
Lewis's 12 home runs, 33 RBI, 62 total bases, and 29 runs scored in conference play all lead the Big Ten. She is nine total bases and four RBI from tying the Big Ten records for conference play and currently tied for the record with 12 home runs.
Danielle Williams is in pursuit of the Big Ten pitching triple crown, currently leading the conference with a 1.28 ERA, 24 wins, and 260 strikeouts in 175.1 innings pitched. She also leads the Big Ten in all three categories against Big Ten opponents, looking to become the first Northwestern pitcher to do so since Lisa Ishikawa in 1987.
The Wildcats are 59-64 all-time against Minnesota, having won just two series against the Golden Gophers in the past ten years.
The Wildcats (38-7, 18-2 B1G) are one win or one Nebraska loss away from clinching the Big Ten title, their first since 2008 and first outright since 2006. Northwestern has won seven Big Ten titles in program history and two under Kate and Caryl Drohan.
The 'Cats are coming off a sweep of Iowa on Senior Weekend at Sharon J. Drysdale Field, outscoring the Hawkeyes 22-5 on the weekend.
Hannah Cady was named Big Ten Player of the Week for the first time in her career after posting a .625 average (5-for-8) and .727 on-base percentage (8-for-11) against Iowa. Cady hit two home runs, including her first career grand slam, and tallied six RBI in the series. This season against Big Ten opponents, Cady has posted a .393 average and 1.228 OPS, both second best on the team behind Rachel Lewis, and trails only Lewis on the conference leaderboards with seven home runs and 23 RBI.
Lewis blasted her 20th home run of the season in Friday's game against Iowa, passing Adrienne Monka's 2009 total of 19 for the second-highest single-season total in program history. She is three home runs shy of tying Garland Cooper's record of 23 home runs in 2007.
Lewis's 12 home runs, 33 RBI, 62 total bases, and 29 runs scored in conference play all lead the Big Ten. She is nine total bases and four RBI from tying the Big Ten records for conference play and currently tied for the record with 12 home runs.
Danielle Williams is in pursuit of the Big Ten pitching triple crown, currently leading the conference with a 1.28 ERA, 24 wins, and 260 strikeouts in 175.1 innings pitched. She also leads the Big Ten in all three categories against Big Ten opponents, looking to become the first Northwestern pitcher to do so since Lisa Ishikawa in 1987.
The Wildcats are 59-64 all-time against Minnesota, having won just two series against the Golden Gophers in the past ten years.
Players Mentioned
Softball - Marina Mason Tosses One-Hit Shutout, 'Cats Claim Series Win vs. Minnesota (5/3/26)
Monday, May 04
The Foundation: Northwestern Softball | 2026 Senior Class
Friday, May 01
Softball - Wildcats Open Weekend with 5-1 Win Over Minnesota (5/1/26)
Friday, May 01
Softball - Marina Mason's Complete Game Shutout Fuels a 1-0 Series Sweeping Win at Purdue - 4/26/26
Sunday, April 26




















