Sunday, April 20
Piscataway, NJ
12 pm CT
Northwestern
24-15-1, 12-4
11
at
0
Rutgers
17-31, 1-15
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5
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Northwestern
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Rutgers
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Photo by: 2025 Dakota Moyer Photography
‘Cats Earn Weekend Series Sweep at Rutgers, Head to UIC for Tuesday Midweek
4/20/2025 5:01:00 PM | Softball
PISCATAWAY, NJ – Northwestern capped off a strong weekend in New Jersey with an 11-0 run-rule victory at Rutgers to secure a three-game series sweep over the Scarlet Knights.
This marks the Wildcats' fifth series victory on the conference season, as well as their fourth different series sweep. The Wildcats now sit at 12-4 in conference play, tied for third place in the Big Ten standings with two weekends of action remaining in the regular season.
Northwestern opened the series with a convincing 6-0 win over Rutgers on Friday afternoon. The Wildcats scored all six of their runs in the first three innings of the game and finished with nine stolen bases, the second-most stolen bases in a single game in program history (10, vs. Akron on Feb. 12, 2022). Lauren Boyd delivered a gem in the circle, tossing 6.0 scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and striking out 10–her third outing of the season with 10+ strikeouts.
On Saturday, the Wildcats locked up the series victory with a 4-2 win behind a dominant relief appearance from Renae Cunningham. Cunningham entered the game with the bases loaded and the 'Cats trailing, 2-1, in the bottom of the second inning before firing 5.2 scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and striking out three. Bridget Donahey led the 'Cats at the plate, finishing 3-for-4 with a solo home run and scoring three of the Wildcats' four runs in the game. It marked the third three-hit game of the season for Donahey, who now leads the team with eight homers on the year.
Nine different Wildcats combined for 12 total hits in Sunday's five-inning run-rule victory, led by multi-hit performances from Kelsey Nader (2-for-4 with a solo home run and two runs scored), Kansas Robinson (2-for-4 with an RBI, a double and two runs scored) and Isabel Cunnea (2-for-2 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored). The Wildcats scored three runs in the top of the third inning and six runs in the top of the fourth inning–all of which came with two outs–to help break the game open. In the circle, Boyd turned in another lights out performance, allowing just one hit in 4.0 scoreless innings while striking out six.
Boyd posted a 2-0 record on the weekend, allowing no runs in 10.0 innings pitched while striking out 16 batters. The graduate student from Union, Missouri allowed just three total hits across 10.0 innings, limiting Scarlet Knights hitters to a combined .091 batting average throughout the weekend. The Wildcats improved to 13-4 in games that Boyd has pitched this season. Boyd's team-leading 10 wins on the year already mark a single-season career high, surprising her previous total of eight in 2023. Additionally, Boyd now leads the Wildcats this season in ERA (2.64), WHIP (1.18), innings pitched (82.1), opponent average (.216) and strikeouts (85).
At the plate the Wildcats were led by Cunnea, who turned in multi-hit performances in each of the last two games and finished the weekend with a .714 slugging percentage and a .667 on-base percentage after reaching base in 6-of-9 plate appearances. Cunnea has now reached base safely in eight-consecutive games and leads the team in conference play with a .342 batting average (13-for-38) to go along with a .344 average (second-best on the team) on the year.
Donahey and Robinson each finished the weekend with team-leading .778 slugging percentages and .500 on-base percentages. Both provided power for the Wildcats, with Robinson homering as part of a four-run second inning rally in Friday's win, while Donahey hit a solo homer to kick off the scoring in Saturday's win. Through 40 games this season, Donahey currently leads the team in OPS (1.051), slugging percentage (.619) and home runs (8), while Robinson ranks second in slugging percentage (.551) and home runs (7) while leading the team with 33 RBI, 18 of which have come during Big Ten play.
The Wildcats finished the weekend stealing a total of 16 bases against the Scarlet Knights in 18 attempts. Ayana Lindsey led the way, going 4-for-4 in steal attempts to bring her total to nine on the season. Lindsey also posted a .556 on-base percentage in nine plate appearances over the weekend, scoring two runs and driving in two RBI with a double in Sunday's win. Also stealing multiple bases on the weekend was Grace Nieto (3), Kaylie Avvisato (2), Nader (2). Avvisato now has 21 stolen bases on the season, becoming the first Wildcat to steal 20 bases in a season since Skyler Shellmyer in 2023 and the first Wildcat rookie to do so since Rachel Lewis in 2018.
Northwestern improves to 16-1 all-time against Rutgers. The Wildcats outscored the Scarlet Knights by a combined 21-2 margin over three games this weekend, hitting .280 (23-for-82) as a team while limiting Rutgers' hitters to a combined .113 batting average (7-for-62).
The 'Cats are back in action on Tuesday, April 22, when they travel down I-94 for a crosstown matchup at UIC, beginning at 6 pm CT. Northwestern leads the all-time series vs. UIC, 35-9, and has won the last 11 meetings between the teams by a combined 102-29 margin.
Northwestern returns home next weekend for a weekend series vs. Wisconsin at Sharon J. Drysdale Field, beginning on Friday, April 25 at 4pm CT.
This marks the Wildcats' fifth series victory on the conference season, as well as their fourth different series sweep. The Wildcats now sit at 12-4 in conference play, tied for third place in the Big Ten standings with two weekends of action remaining in the regular season.
Northwestern opened the series with a convincing 6-0 win over Rutgers on Friday afternoon. The Wildcats scored all six of their runs in the first three innings of the game and finished with nine stolen bases, the second-most stolen bases in a single game in program history (10, vs. Akron on Feb. 12, 2022). Lauren Boyd delivered a gem in the circle, tossing 6.0 scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and striking out 10–her third outing of the season with 10+ strikeouts.
On Saturday, the Wildcats locked up the series victory with a 4-2 win behind a dominant relief appearance from Renae Cunningham. Cunningham entered the game with the bases loaded and the 'Cats trailing, 2-1, in the bottom of the second inning before firing 5.2 scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and striking out three. Bridget Donahey led the 'Cats at the plate, finishing 3-for-4 with a solo home run and scoring three of the Wildcats' four runs in the game. It marked the third three-hit game of the season for Donahey, who now leads the team with eight homers on the year.
Nine different Wildcats combined for 12 total hits in Sunday's five-inning run-rule victory, led by multi-hit performances from Kelsey Nader (2-for-4 with a solo home run and two runs scored), Kansas Robinson (2-for-4 with an RBI, a double and two runs scored) and Isabel Cunnea (2-for-2 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored). The Wildcats scored three runs in the top of the third inning and six runs in the top of the fourth inning–all of which came with two outs–to help break the game open. In the circle, Boyd turned in another lights out performance, allowing just one hit in 4.0 scoreless innings while striking out six.
Boyd posted a 2-0 record on the weekend, allowing no runs in 10.0 innings pitched while striking out 16 batters. The graduate student from Union, Missouri allowed just three total hits across 10.0 innings, limiting Scarlet Knights hitters to a combined .091 batting average throughout the weekend. The Wildcats improved to 13-4 in games that Boyd has pitched this season. Boyd's team-leading 10 wins on the year already mark a single-season career high, surprising her previous total of eight in 2023. Additionally, Boyd now leads the Wildcats this season in ERA (2.64), WHIP (1.18), innings pitched (82.1), opponent average (.216) and strikeouts (85).
At the plate the Wildcats were led by Cunnea, who turned in multi-hit performances in each of the last two games and finished the weekend with a .714 slugging percentage and a .667 on-base percentage after reaching base in 6-of-9 plate appearances. Cunnea has now reached base safely in eight-consecutive games and leads the team in conference play with a .342 batting average (13-for-38) to go along with a .344 average (second-best on the team) on the year.
Donahey and Robinson each finished the weekend with team-leading .778 slugging percentages and .500 on-base percentages. Both provided power for the Wildcats, with Robinson homering as part of a four-run second inning rally in Friday's win, while Donahey hit a solo homer to kick off the scoring in Saturday's win. Through 40 games this season, Donahey currently leads the team in OPS (1.051), slugging percentage (.619) and home runs (8), while Robinson ranks second in slugging percentage (.551) and home runs (7) while leading the team with 33 RBI, 18 of which have come during Big Ten play.
The Wildcats finished the weekend stealing a total of 16 bases against the Scarlet Knights in 18 attempts. Ayana Lindsey led the way, going 4-for-4 in steal attempts to bring her total to nine on the season. Lindsey also posted a .556 on-base percentage in nine plate appearances over the weekend, scoring two runs and driving in two RBI with a double in Sunday's win. Also stealing multiple bases on the weekend was Grace Nieto (3), Kaylie Avvisato (2), Nader (2). Avvisato now has 21 stolen bases on the season, becoming the first Wildcat to steal 20 bases in a season since Skyler Shellmyer in 2023 and the first Wildcat rookie to do so since Rachel Lewis in 2018.
Northwestern improves to 16-1 all-time against Rutgers. The Wildcats outscored the Scarlet Knights by a combined 21-2 margin over three games this weekend, hitting .280 (23-for-82) as a team while limiting Rutgers' hitters to a combined .113 batting average (7-for-62).
The 'Cats are back in action on Tuesday, April 22, when they travel down I-94 for a crosstown matchup at UIC, beginning at 6 pm CT. Northwestern leads the all-time series vs. UIC, 35-9, and has won the last 11 meetings between the teams by a combined 102-29 margin.
Northwestern returns home next weekend for a weekend series vs. Wisconsin at Sharon J. Drysdale Field, beginning on Friday, April 25 at 4pm CT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Boyd, Lauren (10-4)
L: DePew, Laurelai (0-4)
Batting:
2B: Robinson, Kansas 1 ; Lindsey, Ayana 1
HR: Nader, Kelsey 1
RBI: Nader, Kelsey 1 ; Avvisato, Kaylie 1 ; Robinson, Kansas 1 ; Cunnea, Isabel 1 ; Raye, Emma 2 ; Lindsey, Ayana 2
SF: Avvisato, Kaylie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nieto, Grace 1 ; Nader, Kelsey 2 ; Avvisato, Kaylie 1 ; Robinson, Kansas 2 ; Donahey, Bridget 1 ; Dowden, Kate 1 ; Cunnea, Isabel 1 ; Raye, Emma 1 ; Minarovic, Grace 1
SB: Nieto, Grace 1 ; Nader, Kelsey 1 ; Cushing, Hannah 1 ; Raye, Emma 1
HBP: Dowden, Kate 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
lf/dp
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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IF
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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
