Northwestern University Athletics
Tuesday, April 1
Evanston, Ill.
4 pm CT
Northwestern
vs
Notre Dame
Photo by: Jazmin Bender/Northwestern Athletics
Wildcats Kick Off Homestand on Tuesday vs. Notre Dame
3/31/2025 4:32:00 PM | Softball
EVANSTON, Ill. – After a successful road trip to Minnesota, Northwestern Softball returns to Evanston for an eight-game homestand beginning on Tuesday with a meeting against Notre Dame. First pitch is scheduled for 4 pm CT, with coverage live on B1G+.
Most recently, the Wildcats swept a three-game series at Minnesota–earning a pair of one-run decisions on Friday before run-ruling the Gophers, 14-3, in six innings on Saturday. Northwestern has now won eight games in a row over the Gophers, and this weekend marked the Wildcats' first series victory in Minnesota since 2006.
Bridget Donahey led the Wildcats this past week, hitting .636 (7-for-11) with two doubles, two homers, eight RBI and four runs scored to go along with a 1.364 slugging percentage and a .615 on-base percentage in four games. Prior to last week, Donahey had never recorded three hits in 113 career games played; she then did so twice in a span of four games, going 3-for-3 with a homer and four RBI in a run-rule win over Northern Illinois on Wednesday and 3-for-4 with a homer, two doubles and three RBI in Saturday's run-rule victory at Minnesota. Donahey leads the team this season with a .687 slugging percentage, as well as 22 run scored.
Kansas Robinson drove in eight RBI of her own in four games last week, hitting .500 (6-for-12) with a homer, two doubles and five runs scored. The junior from Indianapolis, Indiana drove in a team-leading six RBI in the Minnesota series, headlined by a five RBI performance on Saturday–her most in a game since April 28, 2023 (6, vs. Nebraska). Through seven Big Ten games to start conference play, Robinson boasts a 1.217 OPS with eight RBI and eight runs scored.
A pair of Wildcat first-years, Kaylie Avvisato and Avery Garden, each hit .455 (5-for-11) in four games last week. Garden hit the eventual game-winning home run with a solo blast in the fifth inning of Friday's 3-2 win over Minnesota to close a doubleheader sweep. Avvisato led the Wildcats in the weekend series, hitting .556 (5-for-9) with an RBI and four runs scored to raise her batting average on the season up to .404.
Four different Wildcat arms earned wins across the 'Cats' four victories last week. Emma Blea earned her first-career win on Wednesday vs. Northern Illinois in a career-high six strikeout performance. Lauren Boyd tossed a complete game shutout to open the Minnesota series, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out 10 in a 2-0 victory in what marked the second double-digit strikeout performance of the season for Boyd, as well as her first complete game shutout since April 2, 2023 at Iowa. Riley Grudzielanek allowed just three hits and two runs in a complete game performance on Friday, throwing six-straight scoreless innings to finish the game and improve to 4-0 in four Big Ten appearances this season with a team-best 1.78 ERA (5 ER/19.2 IP). On Saturday, Signe Dohse and Renae Cunningham split the workload, each tossing 3.0 innings as Dohse struck out a career-high four batters and allowed just two hits and one run, while Cunningham earned the win and allowed just two hits and two runs to finish out the game.
This marks the 28th all-time meeting between Northwestern and Notre Dame, and the first in Evanston since 2019. Northwestern leads the all-time series, 16-11, and has won four of the last five meetings dating back to 2018. The programs last met in 2023 in Clemson, South Carolina for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, with NU sweeping a pair of matchups. The Wildcats and Irish last met for a midweek non-conference game in 2022, with the Irish taking a 3-2 decision in South Bend on April 5. Later that season, both teams would get placed in the NCAA Evanston Regional but did not end up meeting up as McNeese upset Notre Dame on both Friday and Saturday before falling to Northwestern in five innings in the Regional Final.
The Wildcats are 7-0 to start conference play for the first time since 2021. Additionally, Kate and Caryl Drohan now sit at 798 career victories, two away from becoming just the fourth coaches in Big Ten history to reach 800 career wins (Carol Hutchins, Gayle Blevins and Rhonda Revelle). Following Tuesday's game, Northwestern hosts back-to back Big Ten series vs. Illinois (April 5-7) and Nebraska (April 12-14) in a new Saturday-Sunday-Monday series format.
Most recently, the Wildcats swept a three-game series at Minnesota–earning a pair of one-run decisions on Friday before run-ruling the Gophers, 14-3, in six innings on Saturday. Northwestern has now won eight games in a row over the Gophers, and this weekend marked the Wildcats' first series victory in Minnesota since 2006.
Bridget Donahey led the Wildcats this past week, hitting .636 (7-for-11) with two doubles, two homers, eight RBI and four runs scored to go along with a 1.364 slugging percentage and a .615 on-base percentage in four games. Prior to last week, Donahey had never recorded three hits in 113 career games played; she then did so twice in a span of four games, going 3-for-3 with a homer and four RBI in a run-rule win over Northern Illinois on Wednesday and 3-for-4 with a homer, two doubles and three RBI in Saturday's run-rule victory at Minnesota. Donahey leads the team this season with a .687 slugging percentage, as well as 22 run scored.
Kansas Robinson drove in eight RBI of her own in four games last week, hitting .500 (6-for-12) with a homer, two doubles and five runs scored. The junior from Indianapolis, Indiana drove in a team-leading six RBI in the Minnesota series, headlined by a five RBI performance on Saturday–her most in a game since April 28, 2023 (6, vs. Nebraska). Through seven Big Ten games to start conference play, Robinson boasts a 1.217 OPS with eight RBI and eight runs scored.
A pair of Wildcat first-years, Kaylie Avvisato and Avery Garden, each hit .455 (5-for-11) in four games last week. Garden hit the eventual game-winning home run with a solo blast in the fifth inning of Friday's 3-2 win over Minnesota to close a doubleheader sweep. Avvisato led the Wildcats in the weekend series, hitting .556 (5-for-9) with an RBI and four runs scored to raise her batting average on the season up to .404.
Four different Wildcat arms earned wins across the 'Cats' four victories last week. Emma Blea earned her first-career win on Wednesday vs. Northern Illinois in a career-high six strikeout performance. Lauren Boyd tossed a complete game shutout to open the Minnesota series, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out 10 in a 2-0 victory in what marked the second double-digit strikeout performance of the season for Boyd, as well as her first complete game shutout since April 2, 2023 at Iowa. Riley Grudzielanek allowed just three hits and two runs in a complete game performance on Friday, throwing six-straight scoreless innings to finish the game and improve to 4-0 in four Big Ten appearances this season with a team-best 1.78 ERA (5 ER/19.2 IP). On Saturday, Signe Dohse and Renae Cunningham split the workload, each tossing 3.0 innings as Dohse struck out a career-high four batters and allowed just two hits and one run, while Cunningham earned the win and allowed just two hits and two runs to finish out the game.
This marks the 28th all-time meeting between Northwestern and Notre Dame, and the first in Evanston since 2019. Northwestern leads the all-time series, 16-11, and has won four of the last five meetings dating back to 2018. The programs last met in 2023 in Clemson, South Carolina for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, with NU sweeping a pair of matchups. The Wildcats and Irish last met for a midweek non-conference game in 2022, with the Irish taking a 3-2 decision in South Bend on April 5. Later that season, both teams would get placed in the NCAA Evanston Regional but did not end up meeting up as McNeese upset Notre Dame on both Friday and Saturday before falling to Northwestern in five innings in the Regional Final.
The Wildcats are 7-0 to start conference play for the first time since 2021. Additionally, Kate and Caryl Drohan now sit at 798 career victories, two away from becoming just the fourth coaches in Big Ten history to reach 800 career wins (Carol Hutchins, Gayle Blevins and Rhonda Revelle). Following Tuesday's game, Northwestern hosts back-to back Big Ten series vs. Illinois (April 5-7) and Nebraska (April 12-14) in a new Saturday-Sunday-Monday series format.
Players Mentioned
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/ SoftballSoftball - Lauren Boyd Tosses Complete Game Shutout, 'Cats Blank Kentucky in NCAA Regional (5/16/25)
Friday, May 16
Softball - 'Cats Storm Back, Secure Series Victory at No. 8 UCLA (5/4/25)
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
