Friday, May 5
Piscataway, N.J.
2 pm CT
Northwestern
at
Rutgers
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
'Cats Wrap Up Regular Season at Rutgers
5/4/2023 4:29:00 PM | Softball
| NORTHWESTERN SOFTBALL: GAME INFORMATION | |||||
| DATE | OPPONENT | TIME | LOCATION | WATCH | LIVE STATS |
| Friday, May 5 | Rutgers | 2 pm CT | Rutgers Softball Complex Piscataway, N.J. |
B1G+ | Live Stats |
| Saturday, May 6 | Rutgers | 2 pm CT | Rutgers Softball Complex Piscataway, N.J. |
B1G+ | Live Stats |
| Sunday, May 7 | Rutgers | 12 pm CT | Rutgers Softball Complex Piscataway, N.J. |
B1G+ | Live Stats |
| Social: Twitter: @NUSBcats | Instagram: @NUSBcats | |||||
EVANSTON, Ill. – Following a three-game sweep of Nebraska that ensured Northwestern would claim at least a share of the Big Ten title and finish the regular season undefeated at home, the Wildcats will head to the east coast this weekend to face off against Rutgers.
The series against the Scarlet Knights (31-22, 8-12 Big Ten) marks the end of the 2023 regular season for No. 19 Northwestern (33-10, 18-2 Big Ten) before NU travels to Champaign, Ill. for the Big Ten Tournament. The weekend opens with a 2 p.m. CT first pitch on Friday and Saturday, followed by a 12 p.m. CT start on Sunday.
The Wildcats clinched at least a share of the Big Ten title for the second-consecutive year after a pair of late comebacks against Nebraska. A day after blowing out the Cornhuskers, 22-4, on Friday, Northwestern found itself in a 6-2 hole entering the seventh inning. A wild pitch scored Hannah Cady, then Lauren Sciborski hit a bases-clearing double to complete the rally and send the game to extras. In the ninth, Kansas Robinson continued her hot streak by walking it off, homering to right-center field to finish the 8-6 comeback.
On Sunday, Northwestern trailed 9-4 in the fifth inning as the Wildcats battled the cold, rainy elements. With two outs, the 'Cats went on a tear. Kendall Peterson singled with the bases loaded to score three runs, then singles by Skyler Shellmyer and Jordyn Rudd tied everything up at nine apiece. When a pitch got away from the Cornhuskers, Robinson stole home, providing the game-winning run for the second consecutive day. Following a roughly two-hour rain delay, the Wildcats finished off Nebraska to win the Big Ten regular season title.
Entering the final stretch of Big Ten regular season play, here are 10 things to know about the 'Cats:
10 Things To Know
- The Wildcats have now won 13 of their last 14 and 22 of their last 24 games. Minnesota, which Northwestern swept earlier in the season, has the second most Big Ten wins in that stretch, winning 12 of its last 14.
- In Big Ten play, no star has shone brighter than Nikki Cuchran. The graduate student leads the team with a .441 batting average, good for third-best in the conference, as well as an astonishing 1.225 OPS.
- After earning the win in relief Sunday against the Cornhuskers, Danielle Williams became Northwestern's all-time wins leader. The 2022 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and 2x All-American's 98th career win passes Lisa Ishikawa (1984-87) and Eileen Canney (2004-07) for the program lead.
- Williams is just two wins away from reaching the 100 wins club, a milestone that just six Big Ten pitchers ever have reached (last done by Sara Groenewegen, Minnesota and Megan Betsa, Michigan from 2014-17).
- Since becoming a regular starter at the beginning of conference play, first-year Kansas Robinson has risen to the occasion. The Indianapolis, Ind. native is batting .296 and trails only Nikki Cuchran in OPS. Robinson's five home runs and .685 slugging percentage are the highest on the Wildcats. In her last 44 at bats, spanning just over a month, she's batting .363.
- Skyler Shellmyer currently ranks sixth in the Big Ten in stolen bases, grabbing 17 of 21 attempted bags.
- On Saturday, the Wildcats won their fifth extra-innings game of the season, defeating Nebraska, 8-6, in nine innings. Northwestern has yet to lose a game that's gone to extras in 2023.
- Northwestern was most recently ranked No. 19 in the NCAA by USA Today and the NFCA Coaches Poll, a three-spot improvement from the week prior. NU was the only ranked Big Ten team in this iteration. Additionally, the Wildcats' are ranked No. 6 in the nation in this week's latest RPI poll.
- Stacking up against the other top teams in the country, Northwestern is ranked as having the fifth-hardest strength of schedule overall, and the second-hardest nonconference schedule.
- The Wildcats currently hold an 18-2 conference record, with three games against Rutgers upcoming. With a sweep of the Scarlet Knights, Northwestern would tie the program record for Big Ten wins in a season with the 2019 squad, who finished 21-2.
Players Mentioned
IF
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IF
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OF
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IF
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C
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IF/C
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OF
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P/U
/ SoftballSoftball - Lauren Boyd Tosses Complete Game Shutout, 'Cats Blank Kentucky in NCAA Regional (5/16/25)
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Sunday, May 04
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Saturday, May 03
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Sunday, April 27
