Northwestern University Athletics
Wednesday, April 16
Evanston, Ill.
4 pm CT
Northwestern
vs
Loyola (Chicago)
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
Wildcats Host Ramblers For Crosstown Midweek Matchup
4/15/2025 7:09:00 PM | Softball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern wraps up an eight-game homestand on Wednesday as the 'Cats play host to Loyola (Chicago), with first pitch scheduled for 4 pm CT from Sharon J. Drysdale Field.
This marks the 28th all-time meeting between Northwestern and its crosstown foe Loyola and the second-straight year the teams have faced off, with the 'Cats taking a 7-3 contest at The J last season. The Wildcats have won six-straight games against the Ramblers, dating back to 2014, and lead the all-time series, 19-8.
Most recently, Northwestern dropped a three-game weekend series against No. 21 Nebraska as the 'Cats fell to 9-4 in Big Ten play, tied for fourth in the conference standings. The Wildcats have now played 12 ranked matchups to date this season.
Isabel Cunnea finished the weekend series hitting .333 (2-for-6) with a walk, while Kelsey Nader reached base four times with three walks and a single. Grace Nieto added two hits and a walk over the series while stealing a team-high three bases, bringing her total to a career-best 11 stolen bases on the season (second on the team behind Kaylie Avvisato).
Avvisato and Kansas Robinson each provided solo home runs over the weekend, with Avvisato hitting her third home run of the season (and her first at Sharon J. Drysdale Field) on Saturday, while Robinson blasted her sixth-homer of the season on Sunday for her team-high 29th RBI on the year.
Avvisato also recorded her 19th stolen base of the season in Saturday's series opener, her sixth-straight game with a stolen base. She is now one stolen base away from becoming the first Wildcat to steal 20 bags in a season since Skyler Shellmyer in 2023, and the first Wildcat rookie to do so since Rachel Lewis in 2018.
Robinson has driven in 19 RBI in her last nine games while posting a .464 batting average (13-for-28). After homering just twice in the Wildcats' first 27 games, Robinson has now hit four home runs in Northwestern's last eight games. In the Wildcats' meeting with the Ramblers last season, Robinson led NU at the plate going 3-for-4 with a solo home run.
Entering Wednesday, four different Wildcats (Avvisato, Nieto, Nader, Cunnea) hold a batting average over .300. Avvisato leads the team with a .368 mark (42-for-114) while also leading the team with 11 multi-hit performances on the year. The Leesburg, Virginia native's .368 average is currently on pace to be the highest by a Wildcat rookie since Sabrina Rabin posted a .394 mark as a first-year in 2015.
In the circle, Lauren Boyd posted a stellar outing in Monday's series finale vs. Nebraska, allowing just two earned runs and five hits in 6.1 innings pitched while striking out three. Boyd has now thrown 6.0+ innings in seven different starts this season, including four of her last five, and leads the Wildcats' pitching staff this season in ERA (3.00), WHIP (1.24), innings pitched (72.1), strikeouts (69) and opponent average (.231).
Following Wednesday's game, Northwestern hits the road to resume conference play with a three-game series at Rutgers. The Wildcats and Scarlet Knights kick off the series on Friday, April 18 at 2 pm CT, followed a 2 pm CT meeting on Saturday and a 12 pm CT matinee in Sunday's series finale. All three matchups in Piscataway can be streamed on B1G+. The 'Cats return home for their final home series of the season on April 25-27 as they face off against Wisconsin.
This marks the 28th all-time meeting between Northwestern and its crosstown foe Loyola and the second-straight year the teams have faced off, with the 'Cats taking a 7-3 contest at The J last season. The Wildcats have won six-straight games against the Ramblers, dating back to 2014, and lead the all-time series, 19-8.
Most recently, Northwestern dropped a three-game weekend series against No. 21 Nebraska as the 'Cats fell to 9-4 in Big Ten play, tied for fourth in the conference standings. The Wildcats have now played 12 ranked matchups to date this season.
Isabel Cunnea finished the weekend series hitting .333 (2-for-6) with a walk, while Kelsey Nader reached base four times with three walks and a single. Grace Nieto added two hits and a walk over the series while stealing a team-high three bases, bringing her total to a career-best 11 stolen bases on the season (second on the team behind Kaylie Avvisato).
Avvisato and Kansas Robinson each provided solo home runs over the weekend, with Avvisato hitting her third home run of the season (and her first at Sharon J. Drysdale Field) on Saturday, while Robinson blasted her sixth-homer of the season on Sunday for her team-high 29th RBI on the year.
Avvisato also recorded her 19th stolen base of the season in Saturday's series opener, her sixth-straight game with a stolen base. She is now one stolen base away from becoming the first Wildcat to steal 20 bags in a season since Skyler Shellmyer in 2023, and the first Wildcat rookie to do so since Rachel Lewis in 2018.
Robinson has driven in 19 RBI in her last nine games while posting a .464 batting average (13-for-28). After homering just twice in the Wildcats' first 27 games, Robinson has now hit four home runs in Northwestern's last eight games. In the Wildcats' meeting with the Ramblers last season, Robinson led NU at the plate going 3-for-4 with a solo home run.
Entering Wednesday, four different Wildcats (Avvisato, Nieto, Nader, Cunnea) hold a batting average over .300. Avvisato leads the team with a .368 mark (42-for-114) while also leading the team with 11 multi-hit performances on the year. The Leesburg, Virginia native's .368 average is currently on pace to be the highest by a Wildcat rookie since Sabrina Rabin posted a .394 mark as a first-year in 2015.
In the circle, Lauren Boyd posted a stellar outing in Monday's series finale vs. Nebraska, allowing just two earned runs and five hits in 6.1 innings pitched while striking out three. Boyd has now thrown 6.0+ innings in seven different starts this season, including four of her last five, and leads the Wildcats' pitching staff this season in ERA (3.00), WHIP (1.24), innings pitched (72.1), strikeouts (69) and opponent average (.231).
Following Wednesday's game, Northwestern hits the road to resume conference play with a three-game series at Rutgers. The Wildcats and Scarlet Knights kick off the series on Friday, April 18 at 2 pm CT, followed a 2 pm CT meeting on Saturday and a 12 pm CT matinee in Sunday's series finale. All three matchups in Piscataway can be streamed on B1G+. The 'Cats return home for their final home series of the season on April 25-27 as they face off against Wisconsin.
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
