Saturday, April 5
Evanston, Ill.
2 pm CT
Northwestern
19-11-1, 0
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Illinois
14-18, 0
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Illinois
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Northwestern
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Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
Drohan’s Earn 800th Win, ‘Cats Take Weekend Series vs. Illinois
4/7/2025 5:11:00 PM | Softball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern took two of three games over its in-state rival Illinois this weekend, headlined by an 8-2 victory in Sunday's weekend finale which marked the 800th career win for head coach Kate Drohan and associate head coach Caryl Drohan. The Wildcats have now won 20 consecutive conference series, dating back to the start of the 2023 season, and currently sit atop the Big Ten standings at 9-1, tied with No. 5 Oregon and No. 8 UCLA.
Kate Drohan becomes just the 30th active Division I head coach to reach 800+ career wins, as well as one just 18 active head coaches to record 800+ wins at one school. With 336 career Big Ten wins, the Drohans currently rank third all-time in conference history, behind only Gayle Blevins (420) and Carol Hutchins (662).
The Wildcats opened the weekend series against the Fighting Illini with a 4-3 victory on Saturday. After dropping a 2-1 decision to begin a Sunday doubleheader, the 'Cats quickly bounced back with an 8-2 win to lock up the series victory. Over the last three seasons, Northwestern is 6-1 against its in-state foes, outscoring Illinois in those games by a combined 43-8 margin.
Lauren Boyd turned in another gem in the circle on Saturday, throwing her third-consecutive complete game in a 123-pitch performance. Boyd allowed just one earned run and six hits over 7.0 innings, while striking out seven. Boyd is now 7-0 with two saves, 51 strikeouts and a 1.66 ERA (11 ER/46.1 IP) in her last nine outings, and leads the Wildcats with six complete games on the season.
Also turning in a dominant pitching performance was Riley Grudzielanek on Sunday. Grudzielanek recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts while allowing six hits and no earned runs in the Wildcats' 2-1 setback. It marked the third double-digit strikeout performance from a Wildcat pitcher this season (also: Boyd vs. Louisville, Boyd at Minnesota) and more than doubled Grudzielanek's previous career high of five. The sophomore from Oak Creek, Wisconsin now holds a 1.31 ERA (5 ER/26.2 IP) in her five outings in Big Ten play, which ranks second among all pitchers in the conference.
Emma Blea and Signe Dohse split the workload in Sunday's 8-2 win. Blea earned the start and allowed two runs in 2.1 innings, both of which came via a two-run Illini homer in the top of the third inning. Over her last five appearances, the rookie Blea now holds a 2.91 ERA (5 ER/12.0 IP). Dohse pitched the final 4.2 innings en route to earning her second win of the season. The redshirt first-year from Hopkins, Minnesota allowed just one hit across 16 batters while striking out two. In four Big ten appearances this season, Dohse has limited opposing hitters to a .162 batting average against, the third-lowest mark among conference pitchers.
Leading the Wildcats at the plate was Kansas Robinson, who posted a .500 average (7-for-14) over the past week with 12 RBI, two home runs, a double and four runs scored in four games. Robinson provided the go-ahead RBI in both of the Wildcats' wins over Illinois, hitting a go-ahead two-RBI double during a fourth inning rally in Saturday's win followed by a 2-for-4 performance with four RBI in Sunday's finale, including the go-ahead two-run homer in the bottom of the third inning. Robinson has now driven in 18 RBI over her last six games, raising her batting average by 60 points in that span up to .277 on the season.
Grace Nieto came up big in each of the Wildcats' wins over the Illini. On Saturday, she reached base three times while going 2-for-2 with a walk and a run scored in what marked her 10th multi-hit game of the season (tied for second on the team). In Sunday's 8-2 win, Nieto hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning which marked her second homer of the season, fourth of her career and her first-ever at Sharon J. Drysdale Field. Nieto currently ranks second on the team with a .343 average (35-for-102) on the season, and fourth on the team in conference play with a .371 mark (13-for-35).
Bridget Donahey blasted her team-leading seventh homer of the season in the bottom of the fifth inning for the Wildcats' lone run to kick off Sunday's doubleheader. Donahey's leads the Wildcats this season with a .658 slugging percentage on the season and a .920 mark in conference play (8th among all Big Ten players).
Northwestern continues its eight-game homestand this weekend with a showdown against No. 21 Nebraska in a three-game series on Saturday-Sunday-Monday at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.
Kate Drohan becomes just the 30th active Division I head coach to reach 800+ career wins, as well as one just 18 active head coaches to record 800+ wins at one school. With 336 career Big Ten wins, the Drohans currently rank third all-time in conference history, behind only Gayle Blevins (420) and Carol Hutchins (662).
800 career wins, and counting ???? pic.twitter.com/fqRahvagxI
— Northwestern Softball (@NUSBcats) April 7, 2025
The Wildcats opened the weekend series against the Fighting Illini with a 4-3 victory on Saturday. After dropping a 2-1 decision to begin a Sunday doubleheader, the 'Cats quickly bounced back with an 8-2 win to lock up the series victory. Over the last three seasons, Northwestern is 6-1 against its in-state foes, outscoring Illinois in those games by a combined 43-8 margin.
Lauren Boyd turned in another gem in the circle on Saturday, throwing her third-consecutive complete game in a 123-pitch performance. Boyd allowed just one earned run and six hits over 7.0 innings, while striking out seven. Boyd is now 7-0 with two saves, 51 strikeouts and a 1.66 ERA (11 ER/46.1 IP) in her last nine outings, and leads the Wildcats with six complete games on the season.
Also turning in a dominant pitching performance was Riley Grudzielanek on Sunday. Grudzielanek recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts while allowing six hits and no earned runs in the Wildcats' 2-1 setback. It marked the third double-digit strikeout performance from a Wildcat pitcher this season (also: Boyd vs. Louisville, Boyd at Minnesota) and more than doubled Grudzielanek's previous career high of five. The sophomore from Oak Creek, Wisconsin now holds a 1.31 ERA (5 ER/26.2 IP) in her five outings in Big Ten play, which ranks second among all pitchers in the conference.
Emma Blea and Signe Dohse split the workload in Sunday's 8-2 win. Blea earned the start and allowed two runs in 2.1 innings, both of which came via a two-run Illini homer in the top of the third inning. Over her last five appearances, the rookie Blea now holds a 2.91 ERA (5 ER/12.0 IP). Dohse pitched the final 4.2 innings en route to earning her second win of the season. The redshirt first-year from Hopkins, Minnesota allowed just one hit across 16 batters while striking out two. In four Big ten appearances this season, Dohse has limited opposing hitters to a .162 batting average against, the third-lowest mark among conference pitchers.
Leading the Wildcats at the plate was Kansas Robinson, who posted a .500 average (7-for-14) over the past week with 12 RBI, two home runs, a double and four runs scored in four games. Robinson provided the go-ahead RBI in both of the Wildcats' wins over Illinois, hitting a go-ahead two-RBI double during a fourth inning rally in Saturday's win followed by a 2-for-4 performance with four RBI in Sunday's finale, including the go-ahead two-run homer in the bottom of the third inning. Robinson has now driven in 18 RBI over her last six games, raising her batting average by 60 points in that span up to .277 on the season.
Grace Nieto came up big in each of the Wildcats' wins over the Illini. On Saturday, she reached base three times while going 2-for-2 with a walk and a run scored in what marked her 10th multi-hit game of the season (tied for second on the team). In Sunday's 8-2 win, Nieto hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning which marked her second homer of the season, fourth of her career and her first-ever at Sharon J. Drysdale Field. Nieto currently ranks second on the team with a .343 average (35-for-102) on the season, and fourth on the team in conference play with a .371 mark (13-for-35).
Bridget Donahey blasted her team-leading seventh homer of the season in the bottom of the fifth inning for the Wildcats' lone run to kick off Sunday's doubleheader. Donahey's leads the Wildcats this season with a .658 slugging percentage on the season and a .920 mark in conference play (8th among all Big Ten players).
Northwestern continues its eight-game homestand this weekend with a showdown against No. 21 Nebraska in a three-game series on Saturday-Sunday-Monday at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Boyd, Lauren (8-2)
L: Nuechterlein, Megan (2-5)
Batting:
2B: Avila, Yazzy 1
HR: Meade, Stevie 1
RBI: Meade, Stevie 1 ; Donahue, Eileen 1
SH: Avila, Yazzy 1
SF: Donahue, Eileen 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Meade, Stevie 2 ; Avila, Yazzy 1
Batting:
2B: Nieto, Grace 1 ; Robinson, Kansas 1 ; Donahey, Bridget 1
RBI: Robinson, Kansas 2 ; Raye, Emma 1 ; Cunnea, Isabel 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nieto, Grace 1 ; Avvisato, Kaylie 1 ; Robinson, Kansas 1 ; Raye, Emma 1
SB: Avvisato, Kaylie 1 ; Lindsey, Ayana 1
CS: Donahey, Bridget 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P/IF
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P/U
/ Softball
IF
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P/IF
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IF
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IF
/ 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
