Northwestern
#1 Oklahoma
Northwestern Softball Begins WCWS Against Oklahoma
6/1/2022 5:45:00 PM | Softball
| NORTHWESTERN SOFTBALL: GAME INFORMATION | |||||
| DATE | Opponent | TIME | LOCATION | Watch | Live Stats |
| Thursday, June 2 | No. 1 Oklahoma | 1:30 p.m. CT | Hall of Fame Stadium Oklahoma City, Okla. |
ESPN | Live Stats |
| Social: Twitter: @NUSBcats | Instagram: @NUSBcats | |||||
OKLAHOMA CITY – For the first time since 2007 and sixth time in program history, the Northwestern University softball team has reached the pinnacle of the sport, the Women's College World Series. The No. 9 seed Wildcats (45-11) begin their WCWS quest against No. 1 seed Oklahoma (54-2) at 1:30 p.m. CT on Thursday, June 2. The game will air on ESPN and Westwood One on SiriusXM Channel 84.
LISTEN LIVE | BRACKET
Playing in one of the most exciting Super Regionals in recent memory, Northwestern took two of three games at No. 8 Arizona State last weekend to reach the World Series. Behind clutch hitting and shutdown pitching, NU came back from a three-run deficit to win game one, 4-3, in 11 innings. Trailing 3-0 in the sixth, Rachel Lewis jolted a two-run home run to centerfield, and Hannah Cady blasted a solo homer the following frame in the seventh to force extras. Angela Zedak grounded to short, which scored Maeve Nelson in the 11th inning, securing the important series opening win. Pitcher Danielle Williams hurled all 11 innings and struck out nine while throwing 179 pitches.
Arizona State came back to win the second game 7-4 in eight innings, forcing a win-or-go-home game three. Northwestern had its backs against the wall after the third inning and trailed 5-0 before scoring eight unanswered runs over the next four innings. After posting four runs in the fourth on a fielder's choice, an error and a two RBI Jordyn Rudd single, Cady tied the game in the fifth on a solo dinger. Nelson gave the 'Cats the lead on a single in the middle, and Lewis and Rudd added insurance tallies in the seventh inning for an 8-6 win. Williams went the distance and allowed six hits with seven strikeouts.
During the NCAA Tournament, Northwestern is averaging 6.7 runs per game, tied with Oklahoma for the tournament's lead. The Wildcats 377 runs scored this season are the most in program history, surpassing the 2007 team's 350 runs.
Rudd has not stopped hitting since the start of the postseason and leads all players in the NCAA Tournament with 14 hits. She is hitting .609 (14-for23) in the tournament, and last weekend hit .643 (9-for-14) at the Tempe Super Regional. As a team, NU is slashing .346/.411/.580 in the tournament.
Williams has been the workhorse inside the circle, throwing 39.1 tournament innings, the most of any pitcher in the field. She threw 23.1 of a possible 26.0 frames at the Tempe Super Regional, and went 2-0. Williams is the only pitcher in Northwestern history to produce two 30+ win seasons, going 31-4 this year and 31-8 as a freshman in 2019.
The Wildcats are amid their 20th overall tournament appearance as well as their 15th appearance during Kate Drohan's 21-year head coaching tenure. The Wildcats are 54-44 (.551) in the NCAA Tournament.
Northwestern and Oklahoma will meet on Thursday afternoon for the 22nd time, with the Sooners holding a 19-2 series advantage. OU defeated NU, 5-1, in the most recent matchup in 2020 in Norman. The Wildcats traveled to Oklahoma for the 2019 Super Regionals and fell twice (3-0, 8-0).
Back in its last WCWS appearance in 2007, Northwestern went 2-2, picking up wins against Arizona State (2-0) and Baylor (7-0), while dropping games to Washington (9-0) and Tennessee (3-0). The 'Cats are 8-10 all-time at the WCWS and finished as the national runner-up in 2006, falling to Arizona in the Championship Series.
