Sunday, March 16
Oklahoma City, Okla.
10 am CT
Northwestern
13-9, 4-0
9
vs
2
Michigan State
8-12, 1-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Northwestern
1
1
0
1
0
2
4
9
12
1
Michigan State
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
2
4
1
‘Cats Sweep Opening Weekend of Big Ten Play in Oklahoma City
3/16/2025 3:54:00 PM | Softball
Oklahoma City, Okla. – Northwestern opened conference play this weekend with four wins over Penn State and Michigan State at Devon Park in Oklahoma City. The Wildcats are now riding a seven-game winning streak and are the only team in the Big Ten to pick up four wins this weekend.
The 'Cats combined to outscore their opponents 40-18 in four games over the weekend, hitting .368 (43-for-117) to go along with a .484 on-base percentage and a .607 slugging percentage with 14 total extra-base hits. Northwestern scored a run in 20-of-26 innings this weekend, at one point scoring in 14-straight innings spanning from Thursday to midway through the second game of Saturday's doubleheader.
Northwestern's seven-game winning streak is currently the second-longest among all Big Ten teams, trailing only UCLA. During the streak, the Wildcats are averaging 9.14 runs as a team while holding opponents to an average of 3.57 runs.
The Wildcats have now won 18-consecutive Big Ten series, dating back to the start of the 2023 season. Since 2011, the 'Cats are 41-0 against Penn State and Michigan State, winning 16 straight against the Nittany Lions and 25 in a row against the Spartans.
Riley Grudzielanek was dominant in the circle all weekend, going 3-0 in three appearances as she earned wins in each of the final three games for the 'Cats. Grudzielanek posted a 1.66 ERA (3 ER/12.2 IP) and a .190 opposing batting average while adding 10 strikeouts. Entering in relief on both Saturday and Sunday's games vs. Michigan State, Grudzielanek earned a pair of wins in the circle. On Saturday, she tossed 4.2 scoreless innings, helping keep the game tied heading into extra innings before handing it over to Lauren Boyd for a save. The sophomore from Oak Creek, Wisconsin followed suit on Sunday, entering in the third inning and escaping a jam before allowing just one hit and one run in 3.0 innings while striking out four before Boyd locked up a four-out save.
At the plate, the Wildcats saw top-to-bottom production throughout the entire weekend. First-year Kaylie Avvisato led the Wildcats with eight hits, four stolen bases and nine RBI in four games. Avvisato recorded hits in every game this weekend, extending her reached base streak to a team-high 16-consecutive games. The first-year from Leesburg, Virginia recorded three hits and four RBI in two different games this weekend, going 3-for-4 with a home run in Saturday's run-rule victory over Penn State while driving in four runs once again in Sunday's win over Michigan State, going 3-for-5 with a double. Nearly halfway through the season, Avvisato currently leads the team in batting average (.392), hits (29), RBI (18), total bases (43) and stolen bases (10). Avvisato's 10 stolen bases have already surpassed the total from any NU player from the 2024 season, and she is the first Wildcat first-year to reach double-digit stolen bases in their rookie campaign since Ayana Lindsey had 13 during the 2022 season.
Avvisato was not the only Wildcat rookie to turn heads in Oklahoma City, as Avery Garden finished the weekend with a .500 batting average (6-for-12) and a team-high six runs scored. Garden recorded the first four-hit performance of her career in Sunday's win over Michigan State, going 4-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Garden is only the second Wildcat to record four hits in the game this season, joining Kansas Robinson (Feb. 16 vs. UT-Arlington). The Allen Park, Michigan native has seven RBI during Northwestern's seven-game winning streak.
Kelsey Nader continued her red-hot stretch at the plate this weekend, hitting .500 (5-for-10) with six RBI, four runs scored, three extra-base hits and three stolen bases. Nader recorded a double, a triple and a home run in three separate games, contributing to her team-leading 1.100 slugging percentage over the weekend. Nader reached base in 13-of-18 at-bats, drawing seven walks (including a career-high three walks on Sunday) on her way to an astounding .722 on-base percentage in four games. Against Michigan State on Saturday, Nader hit the go-ahead home run in the top of the eighth inning that proved to be the difference in NU's 8-7 win over the Spartans. The junior from Canton, Michigan now holds an 8-game hitting streak, tied with Isabel Cunnea for the longest by a Wildcat this season. Over those eight games, Nader has raised her batting average by .133 points, up to .318 on the season (third on the team).
Bridget Donahey and Grace Nieto were both on-base machines for the Wildcats throughout the weekend. Nieto hit .467 (7-for-15) and posted a .579 on-base percentage from the leadoff spot, reaching base multiple times in all four games while recording two hits in each of the 'Cats' last three games. Donahey posted a .500 on-base percentage, driving in five runs that included a bases-clearing three-RBI triple to tie the game on Saturday vs. Michigan State, as well as her team-leading fourth home run of the season on Thursday's win. Donahey leads the team in both slugging percentage (.612) and on-base percentage (.479) through 22 games this season.
Emma Raye belted two home runs, scored a run in all four games and led the Wildcats with 13 total bases over the weekend, hitting .462 (6-for-13) with six RBI. In Thursday's 13-7 win vs. Penn State, Raye drove in a career-high five RBI and tallied the first three-hit game of her career. She followed that up the next game with another multi-hit effort, going 2-for-3 against the Nittany Lions while homering for the second game in a row.
Boyd earned a win for the Wildcats on Thursday, pitching 4.1 innings while striking out five. The graduate student allowed just one run in her first four innings of action before surrendering four runs in the top of the fifth inning after the 'Cats had built up a seven-run lead. Boyd earned back-to-back saves both wins over Michigan State, marking the second and third saves of her career. Over the Wildcats' last three weekends of action, Boyd is now 4-0 with 29 strikeouts and a 2.21 ERA (8 ER/25.1 IP), limiting hitters to a .223 opposing batting average.
Northwestern now kicks off a four-game homestand at Sharon J. Drsydale Field, beginning with a marquee three-game series against No. 19 Mississippi State. The 'Cats and Bulldogs start the series on Friday at 2:30 pm CT before playing a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 12 pm CT. Friday's game will be televised on Big Ten Network, while Saturday's games can be streamed on B1G+.
Catch the 'Cats at The J, Get Your Tickets Today!
The 'Cats combined to outscore their opponents 40-18 in four games over the weekend, hitting .368 (43-for-117) to go along with a .484 on-base percentage and a .607 slugging percentage with 14 total extra-base hits. Northwestern scored a run in 20-of-26 innings this weekend, at one point scoring in 14-straight innings spanning from Thursday to midway through the second game of Saturday's doubleheader.
Northwestern's seven-game winning streak is currently the second-longest among all Big Ten teams, trailing only UCLA. During the streak, the Wildcats are averaging 9.14 runs as a team while holding opponents to an average of 3.57 runs.
The Wildcats have now won 18-consecutive Big Ten series, dating back to the start of the 2023 season. Since 2011, the 'Cats are 41-0 against Penn State and Michigan State, winning 16 straight against the Nittany Lions and 25 in a row against the Spartans.
Riley Grudzielanek was dominant in the circle all weekend, going 3-0 in three appearances as she earned wins in each of the final three games for the 'Cats. Grudzielanek posted a 1.66 ERA (3 ER/12.2 IP) and a .190 opposing batting average while adding 10 strikeouts. Entering in relief on both Saturday and Sunday's games vs. Michigan State, Grudzielanek earned a pair of wins in the circle. On Saturday, she tossed 4.2 scoreless innings, helping keep the game tied heading into extra innings before handing it over to Lauren Boyd for a save. The sophomore from Oak Creek, Wisconsin followed suit on Sunday, entering in the third inning and escaping a jam before allowing just one hit and one run in 3.0 innings while striking out four before Boyd locked up a four-out save.
At the plate, the Wildcats saw top-to-bottom production throughout the entire weekend. First-year Kaylie Avvisato led the Wildcats with eight hits, four stolen bases and nine RBI in four games. Avvisato recorded hits in every game this weekend, extending her reached base streak to a team-high 16-consecutive games. The first-year from Leesburg, Virginia recorded three hits and four RBI in two different games this weekend, going 3-for-4 with a home run in Saturday's run-rule victory over Penn State while driving in four runs once again in Sunday's win over Michigan State, going 3-for-5 with a double. Nearly halfway through the season, Avvisato currently leads the team in batting average (.392), hits (29), RBI (18), total bases (43) and stolen bases (10). Avvisato's 10 stolen bases have already surpassed the total from any NU player from the 2024 season, and she is the first Wildcat first-year to reach double-digit stolen bases in their rookie campaign since Ayana Lindsey had 13 during the 2022 season.
Avvisato was not the only Wildcat rookie to turn heads in Oklahoma City, as Avery Garden finished the weekend with a .500 batting average (6-for-12) and a team-high six runs scored. Garden recorded the first four-hit performance of her career in Sunday's win over Michigan State, going 4-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Garden is only the second Wildcat to record four hits in the game this season, joining Kansas Robinson (Feb. 16 vs. UT-Arlington). The Allen Park, Michigan native has seven RBI during Northwestern's seven-game winning streak.
Kelsey Nader continued her red-hot stretch at the plate this weekend, hitting .500 (5-for-10) with six RBI, four runs scored, three extra-base hits and three stolen bases. Nader recorded a double, a triple and a home run in three separate games, contributing to her team-leading 1.100 slugging percentage over the weekend. Nader reached base in 13-of-18 at-bats, drawing seven walks (including a career-high three walks on Sunday) on her way to an astounding .722 on-base percentage in four games. Against Michigan State on Saturday, Nader hit the go-ahead home run in the top of the eighth inning that proved to be the difference in NU's 8-7 win over the Spartans. The junior from Canton, Michigan now holds an 8-game hitting streak, tied with Isabel Cunnea for the longest by a Wildcat this season. Over those eight games, Nader has raised her batting average by .133 points, up to .318 on the season (third on the team).
Bridget Donahey and Grace Nieto were both on-base machines for the Wildcats throughout the weekend. Nieto hit .467 (7-for-15) and posted a .579 on-base percentage from the leadoff spot, reaching base multiple times in all four games while recording two hits in each of the 'Cats' last three games. Donahey posted a .500 on-base percentage, driving in five runs that included a bases-clearing three-RBI triple to tie the game on Saturday vs. Michigan State, as well as her team-leading fourth home run of the season on Thursday's win. Donahey leads the team in both slugging percentage (.612) and on-base percentage (.479) through 22 games this season.
Emma Raye belted two home runs, scored a run in all four games and led the Wildcats with 13 total bases over the weekend, hitting .462 (6-for-13) with six RBI. In Thursday's 13-7 win vs. Penn State, Raye drove in a career-high five RBI and tallied the first three-hit game of her career. She followed that up the next game with another multi-hit effort, going 2-for-3 against the Nittany Lions while homering for the second game in a row.
Boyd earned a win for the Wildcats on Thursday, pitching 4.1 innings while striking out five. The graduate student allowed just one run in her first four innings of action before surrendering four runs in the top of the fifth inning after the 'Cats had built up a seven-run lead. Boyd earned back-to-back saves both wins over Michigan State, marking the second and third saves of her career. Over the Wildcats' last three weekends of action, Boyd is now 4-0 with 29 strikeouts and a 2.21 ERA (8 ER/25.1 IP), limiting hitters to a .223 opposing batting average.
Northwestern now kicks off a four-game homestand at Sharon J. Drsydale Field, beginning with a marquee three-game series against No. 19 Mississippi State. The 'Cats and Bulldogs start the series on Friday at 2:30 pm CT before playing a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 12 pm CT. Friday's game will be televised on Big Ten Network, while Saturday's games can be streamed on B1G+.
Catch the 'Cats at The J, Get Your Tickets Today!
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Grudzielanek, Riley (6-5)
L: Schuler, J. (5-6)
S: Boyd, Lauren (2)
Batting:
2B: Nader, Kelsey 1 ; Avvisato, Kaylie 1
RBI: Nader, Kelsey 1 ; Avvisato, Kaylie 4 ; Robinson, Kansas 1 ; Garden, Avery 2
SF: Robinson, Kansas 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nieto, Grace 2 ; Nader, Kelsey 1 ; Cunnea, Isabel 1 ; Raye, Emma 1 ; Lindsey, Ayana 1 ; Minarovic, Grace 1 ; Garden, Avery 2
SB: Avvisato, Kaylie 1 ; Donahey, Bridget 1
CS: Garden, Avery 1
HBP: Raye, Emma 1
Batting:
2B: Doloszycki 1
3B: Smiley, K. 1
RBI: Smiley, K. 1 ; Anthony, M. 1
SH: Smiley, K. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Herman, H. 1 ; Wash, Jenae 1
HBP: Beshears, B. 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
2
H
4
RBI
2
AB
5
R
0
H
3
RBI
4
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
P/IF
/ Softball
OF
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IF
/ SoftballUTL
/ Softball
P/IF
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IF
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OF
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IF
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IF
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Sunday, May 04
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Saturday, May 03
Softball - Kaylie Avvisato Hits Walk-Off Home Run, 'Cats Take Series vs. Wisconsin (4/27/25)
Sunday, April 27
