Friday, April 25
Evanston, Ill.
4 pm CT
Northwestern
vs
Wisconsin
Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
'Cats Welcome Wisconsin for Last Home Series of the Season
4/24/2025 5:29:00 PM | Softball
Evanston, Ill. – Northwestern wraps up its 2025 home schedule this weekend, hosting Wisconsin for a three-game set at Sharon J. Drysdale Field that features Alumni Day on Saturday and Senior Day on Sunday.
Game one between the Wildcats and Badgers is scheduled for 4 pm CT on Friday, followed by a 2 pm CT start on Saturday for Alumni Day as the Wildcats welcome back program legends from the past 50 years of Northwestern Softball. The series then wraps up at 1:30 pm CT on Sunday with Senior Day festivities taking place pregame. All three games will be available to stream live on B1G+.
Northwestern enters this weekend's series with a 25-15-1 record on the season and a 12-4 mark in Big Ten play, currently sitting tied for third in the conference standings behind only Oregon (14-2) and UCLA (13-3).
In their last time out, the Wildcats earned an 11-0 run-rule victory over UIC on Wednesday at Flames Field. Northwestern saw 10 different Wildcats reach base throughout the game, tallying five hits while drawing a season-high 10 walks in five innings at the plate. The 11-0 win came on the heels of another 11-0 victory at Rutgers, marking the first time that the Wildcats have posted back-to-back run-rule wins since the opening weekend of the 2024 season, when they defeated St. Thomas and Weber State in five innings apiece on February 10 and February 11.
Riley Grudzielanek was outstanding in the circle on Wednesday, earning the win while throwing her first career no-hitter. Grudzielanek struck out five in 5.0 scoreless innings to become the 18th different Wildcat to throw a no-hitter, and the first since Danielle Williams on March 20, 2022 against Stanford. In seven conference appearances this season, Grudzielanek leads the Wildcats with a 2.22 ERA (9 ER/28.1 IP), the fifth-best mark among all Big Ten pitchers. She has been lights out in her last two midweek outings, going 2-0 with one hit, six strikeouts and no runs allowed across 9.0 innings.
Avery Garden scored a team-high three runs on Wednesday, going 1-for-1 with a solo home run and two walks. Garden's home run was her third of the season, and first since hitting the game-winning homer in a 3-2 win at Minnesota on March 28. Entering this weekend's series, Garden has a .313 average (10-for-32) in conference play, good for fourth-best on the team.
Kansas Robinson reached base three times against UIC to match her career high with three walks. Robinson has recorded a .591 on-base percentage (13-for-22) in her last seven games, while driving in six runs to go along with two homers in the same span. Robinson enters this weekend with 18 RBI in Big Ten play which ranks ninth in the conference, as well as a 1.133 OPS in conference play, second on the Wildcats to only Bridget Donahey (1.166).
Lauren Boyd enters the weekend leading the Wildcats this season in ERA (2.64), WHIP (1.18), and strikeouts (85). Boyd's .216 opponent batting average also leads the team and ranks 10th in the Big Ten. In her two outings at Rutgers last weekend, Boyd allowed no runs and only three hits while striking out 16 in 10.0 innings of work. Her 10-strikeout performance on Saturday marked her third game with 10 or more strikeouts this year, tying Ashley Miller for the most such games since Danielle Williams in 2023 (5). Boyd has thrown six complete games this year, second on the Wildcats behind Grudzielanek with seven. Northwestern is one of only three Big Ten teams (UCLA and Iowa) to have two pitchers with six or more complete games this season.
Kaylie Avvisato leads the Wildcats in batting average (.364), hits (47), total bases (69), and stolen bases (21). With her 20th and 21st stolen bases against Rutgers on Friday, Avvisato became the first Wildcat to record 20+ stolen bases in a season since Skyler Shellmyer (20) in 2023 and the first Wildcat rookie to do so since Rachel Lewis (24) in 2018. Her .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.
Northwestern leads the all-time series vs. Wisconsin, 45-20, and is 10-0 in its last 10 matchups with the Badgers, dating back to the 2018 season. Most recently, the Wildcats earned a three-game sweep at Madison during the 2023 season.
Following this weekend's games, Northwestern will travel cross-country to wrap up the regular season with a three-game set against No. 8 UCLA at Easton Stadium. The 'Cats then travel to West Lafayette, Ind. for the Big Ten tournament, beginning on May 7th.
Game one between the Wildcats and Badgers is scheduled for 4 pm CT on Friday, followed by a 2 pm CT start on Saturday for Alumni Day as the Wildcats welcome back program legends from the past 50 years of Northwestern Softball. The series then wraps up at 1:30 pm CT on Sunday with Senior Day festivities taking place pregame. All three games will be available to stream live on B1G+.
Northwestern enters this weekend's series with a 25-15-1 record on the season and a 12-4 mark in Big Ten play, currently sitting tied for third in the conference standings behind only Oregon (14-2) and UCLA (13-3).
In their last time out, the Wildcats earned an 11-0 run-rule victory over UIC on Wednesday at Flames Field. Northwestern saw 10 different Wildcats reach base throughout the game, tallying five hits while drawing a season-high 10 walks in five innings at the plate. The 11-0 win came on the heels of another 11-0 victory at Rutgers, marking the first time that the Wildcats have posted back-to-back run-rule wins since the opening weekend of the 2024 season, when they defeated St. Thomas and Weber State in five innings apiece on February 10 and February 11.
Riley Grudzielanek was outstanding in the circle on Wednesday, earning the win while throwing her first career no-hitter. Grudzielanek struck out five in 5.0 scoreless innings to become the 18th different Wildcat to throw a no-hitter, and the first since Danielle Williams on March 20, 2022 against Stanford. In seven conference appearances this season, Grudzielanek leads the Wildcats with a 2.22 ERA (9 ER/28.1 IP), the fifth-best mark among all Big Ten pitchers. She has been lights out in her last two midweek outings, going 2-0 with one hit, six strikeouts and no runs allowed across 9.0 innings.
Avery Garden scored a team-high three runs on Wednesday, going 1-for-1 with a solo home run and two walks. Garden's home run was her third of the season, and first since hitting the game-winning homer in a 3-2 win at Minnesota on March 28. Entering this weekend's series, Garden has a .313 average (10-for-32) in conference play, good for fourth-best on the team.
Kansas Robinson reached base three times against UIC to match her career high with three walks. Robinson has recorded a .591 on-base percentage (13-for-22) in her last seven games, while driving in six runs to go along with two homers in the same span. Robinson enters this weekend with 18 RBI in Big Ten play which ranks ninth in the conference, as well as a 1.133 OPS in conference play, second on the Wildcats to only Bridget Donahey (1.166).
Lauren Boyd enters the weekend leading the Wildcats this season in ERA (2.64), WHIP (1.18), and strikeouts (85). Boyd's .216 opponent batting average also leads the team and ranks 10th in the Big Ten. In her two outings at Rutgers last weekend, Boyd allowed no runs and only three hits while striking out 16 in 10.0 innings of work. Her 10-strikeout performance on Saturday marked her third game with 10 or more strikeouts this year, tying Ashley Miller for the most such games since Danielle Williams in 2023 (5). Boyd has thrown six complete games this year, second on the Wildcats behind Grudzielanek with seven. Northwestern is one of only three Big Ten teams (UCLA and Iowa) to have two pitchers with six or more complete games this season.
Kaylie Avvisato leads the Wildcats in batting average (.364), hits (47), total bases (69), and stolen bases (21). With her 20th and 21st stolen bases against Rutgers on Friday, Avvisato became the first Wildcat to record 20+ stolen bases in a season since Skyler Shellmyer (20) in 2023 and the first Wildcat rookie to do so since Rachel Lewis (24) in 2018. Her .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.
Northwestern leads the all-time series vs. Wisconsin, 45-20, and is 10-0 in its last 10 matchups with the Badgers, dating back to the 2018 season. Most recently, the Wildcats earned a three-game sweep at Madison during the 2023 season.
Following this weekend's games, Northwestern will travel cross-country to wrap up the regular season with a three-game set against No. 8 UCLA at Easton Stadium. The 'Cats then travel to West Lafayette, Ind. for the Big Ten tournament, beginning on May 7th.
Players Mentioned
IF
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P/IF
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UTL
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P/IF
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OF
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P/U
/ 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
