Saturday, February 8
Clearwater, Fla.
3 pm CT
Northwestern
2-1
4
vs
1
#8 Duke
2-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Duke
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
7
1
Northwestern
0
1
3
0
0
0
X
4
7
0
Wildcats Take Down No. 8 Duke on Saturday at NFCA Classic
2/8/2025 8:33:00 PM | Softball
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Northwestern earned a decisive 4-1 victory over No. 8 Duke on day two of the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida in what marked the Wildcats' first Top-10 win since May 26, 2023.
The Wildcats used a strong third inning rally to pull ahead of the 2024 women's college World Series qualifier Duke, scoring three runs (all with two-outs) to grab a 4-1 lead.
Making her second start of the season, Lauren Boyd delivered a gem in the circle, throwing a complete game 7.0 innings while allowing just seven hits and one run while striking out seven. It marked Boyd's most strikeouts in a game since fanning nine on May 21, 2023 against Miami (OH) to win the NCAA Tournament Evanston Regional.
Kaylie Avvisato continued to impress in her debut weekend with the Wildcats, going 3-for-3 with a triple, a double, an RBI and a run scored. It marked the second-straight three-hit performance by Avvisato in just three career games. The first-year from Leesburg, Virginia hit safely in seven consecutive at-bats, spanning from her last at-bat against Kennesaw State which plated the game-winning run to the end of the Duke game.
Also recording an RBI for the Wildcats was Izzy Cunnea, who came through with a two-out single in the second inning to drive in Avvisato and give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. Riley Grudzielanek added an RBI of her own in the third inning, hitting of a double off the left field fence for her first hit of the season to give Northwestern a 4-1 lead.
Following their win over Duke, the Wildcats dropped their second game of the evening in a 12-1 setback to No. 5 Tennessee in five innings. Kelsey Nader reached base three times in the game–going 2-for-2 with a walk–while Kansas Robinson scored the Wildcats' lone run after hitting a leadoff double in the bottom of the first inning and coming around to score via an Emma Raye sacrifice fly.
Northwestern closes out the weekend with a Sunday morning meeting with Southern Miss. First pitch is scheduled for 9 am CT, with coverage live streamed for free on the GameChanger app.
The Wildcats used a strong third inning rally to pull ahead of the 2024 women's college World Series qualifier Duke, scoring three runs (all with two-outs) to grab a 4-1 lead.
Making her second start of the season, Lauren Boyd delivered a gem in the circle, throwing a complete game 7.0 innings while allowing just seven hits and one run while striking out seven. It marked Boyd's most strikeouts in a game since fanning nine on May 21, 2023 against Miami (OH) to win the NCAA Tournament Evanston Regional.
Kaylie Avvisato continued to impress in her debut weekend with the Wildcats, going 3-for-3 with a triple, a double, an RBI and a run scored. It marked the second-straight three-hit performance by Avvisato in just three career games. The first-year from Leesburg, Virginia hit safely in seven consecutive at-bats, spanning from her last at-bat against Kennesaw State which plated the game-winning run to the end of the Duke game.
Also recording an RBI for the Wildcats was Izzy Cunnea, who came through with a two-out single in the second inning to drive in Avvisato and give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. Riley Grudzielanek added an RBI of her own in the third inning, hitting of a double off the left field fence for her first hit of the season to give Northwestern a 4-1 lead.
Following their win over Duke, the Wildcats dropped their second game of the evening in a 12-1 setback to No. 5 Tennessee in five innings. Kelsey Nader reached base three times in the game–going 2-for-2 with a walk–while Kansas Robinson scored the Wildcats' lone run after hitting a leadoff double in the bottom of the first inning and coming around to score via an Emma Raye sacrifice fly.
Northwestern closes out the weekend with a Sunday morning meeting with Southern Miss. First pitch is scheduled for 9 am CT, with coverage live streamed for free on the GameChanger app.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Boyd, Lauren (1-0)
L: Garner-MacKinnon, So (0-1)
Batting:
RBI: Rodriguez, Kairi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Malau'ulu, Thessa 1
Batting:
2B: Avvisato, Kaylie 1 ; Grudzielanek, Riley 1
3B: Avvisato, Kaylie 1
RBI: Avvisato, Kaylie 1 ; Grudzielanek, Riley 1 ; Cunnea, Isabel 1
SH: Nieto, Grace 1 ; Lindsey, Ayana 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nader, Kelsey 1 ; Avvisato, Kaylie 1 ; Raye, Emma 1 ; Donahey, Bridget 1
SB: Lindsey, Ayana 1
HBP: Cunnea, Isabel 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
P/IF
/ SoftballP/IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballSoftball - Lauren Boyd Tosses Complete Game Shutout, 'Cats Blank Kentucky in NCAA Regional (5/16/25)
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Sunday, May 04
Softball - 'Cats Earn 8-0 Run-Rule Win at No. 8 UCLA (5/2/25)
Saturday, May 03
Softball - Kaylie Avvisato Hits Walk-Off Home Run, 'Cats Take Series vs. Wisconsin (4/27/25)
Sunday, April 27
