Northwestern University Athletics
Friday, February 27
Durham, NC
10 am CT
Northwestern
vs
Boston U
Wildcats Continue Non-Conference Slate at Duke Invitational
2/26/2026 2:58:00 PM | Softball
Durham, NC – Northwestern continues its non-conference schedule this weekend as the Wildcats travel to the Duke Invitational for four games in two days against Boston University, Ohio State, and host No. 20 Duke.
The Wildcats open the weekend with a Friday doubleheader against Boston University (10 am CT) followed by a game against Ohio State (1 pm CT) that will count as a non-conference matchup. The 'Cats play two again on Saturday, with another matchup with the Terriers (9 am CT), and the finale against Duke (11:30 am CT). The first three games of the weekend are available to stream on ESPN+, while the final game against Duke will be televised on ACC Network Extra. Northwestern and Duke were previously set to face off on Thursday, February 26 to open the weekend, however the game was canceled earlier in the week due to rain in the forecast.
Most recently, Northwestern traveled to the Razorback Invitational, where they picked up a pair of wins against Southeast Missouri while dropping three games to the hosts, No. 8 Arkansas. On Friday, the 'Cats opened with a 4-1 win over SEMO before falling 6-0 to the Razorbacks. Saturday followed a similar script, as Northwestern run-ruled SEMO, 12-1, in six innings, before dropping a 7-0 contest to Arkansas. Sunday's finale against Arkansas saw Northwestern storm back from an early six-run deficit before dropping a 9-8 decision to the Razorbacks.
Northwestern sits at 6-9 on the season, with seven of its nine losses coming against ranked opponents. Collectively, Northwestern's opponents in its nine losses hold a combined record of 88-25 (.779 winning percentage) to date. Over their first five weekends of action this season, 16 of the Wildcats' first 23 games will come against 2025 NCAA Tournament teams (including 11 different opponents).
Senior Kelsey Nader leads the Wildcats with a .391 batting average (18-for-46) and 11 runs scored through three weekends of play. Last weekend in Fayetteville, Nader posted a team-best .529 on-base percentage across five games, going 7-for-15 with six runs scored. She matched her career high with three runs scored in Saturday's win over Southeast Missouri and recorded her first three-hit game of the season in Sunday's finale against Arkansas.
Catcher Emma Raye enters the week hitting .366 (15-for-41) with a team-high .447 on-base percentage and .683 slugging percentage, as seven of her 15 hits have gone for extra bases. At the Razorback Invitational, Raye went 7-for-16 with six RBI, a home run, two doubles and three runs scored, highlighted by a three-hit, three-RBI performance Sunday that included a double and a game-tying home run.
Kaylie Avvisato leads the Wildcats with 16 RBI through three weekends, accounting for 25% of the team's total RBI. In Saturday's 12-1 run-rule victory over Southeast Missouri, Avvisato delivered a career-high five RBI, finishing 2-for-4 with a triple and a grand slam. Her two-out RBI triple tied the game in the third inning before her grand slam punctuated an eight-run sixth inning.
In the circle, Marina Mason leads Northwestern with 28.2 innings pitched and 35 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .220 batting average. Over three appearances last weekend, Mason tossed a team-high 10.1 innings, striking out 13 and limiting hitters to a .175 average. She earned the win against Southeast Missouri with 5.0 innings of one-run ball, striking out seven and retiring the final 14 batters she faced, and added 2.0 scoreless innings in relief Sunday against Arkansas.
Riley Grudzielanek and Emma Blea combined to secure Friday's 4-1 win over SEMO. Grudzielanek earned the victory with 5.0 innings in the circle, striking out six while allowing just two hits and one run, including stranding the bases loaded in the fifth inning. Blea closed out the final 2.0 innings to earn the save, permitting no hits and striking out three of the seven batters she faced.
Signe Dohse carries a team-low 0.64 ERA (2 ER/22.0 IP) and has thrown 6.0 or more innings in both of her starts this season. On Saturday against Arkansas, Dohse logged 6.0 innings and allowed two earned runs.
Northwestern holds a 2-0 record all-time against Boston, with the teams' most recent meeting coming in 2024 with a 2-0 Wildcats win. The Wildcats also hold a 2-0 all-time record against Duke, most recently defeating the Blue Devils, 4-1, in the 2025 NFCA Leadoff Classic last February. Northwestern is 74-35 all-time against Big Ten foe Ohio State, and the 'Cats captured two of three games in the teams' most recent series in 2024.
Following this weekend's games, Northwestern travels to Washington for three games (March 6-8) in what marks the Wildcats' first trip to Seattle since 2018, as well as their first Big Ten series of 2026.
The Wildcats open the weekend with a Friday doubleheader against Boston University (10 am CT) followed by a game against Ohio State (1 pm CT) that will count as a non-conference matchup. The 'Cats play two again on Saturday, with another matchup with the Terriers (9 am CT), and the finale against Duke (11:30 am CT). The first three games of the weekend are available to stream on ESPN+, while the final game against Duke will be televised on ACC Network Extra. Northwestern and Duke were previously set to face off on Thursday, February 26 to open the weekend, however the game was canceled earlier in the week due to rain in the forecast.
Most recently, Northwestern traveled to the Razorback Invitational, where they picked up a pair of wins against Southeast Missouri while dropping three games to the hosts, No. 8 Arkansas. On Friday, the 'Cats opened with a 4-1 win over SEMO before falling 6-0 to the Razorbacks. Saturday followed a similar script, as Northwestern run-ruled SEMO, 12-1, in six innings, before dropping a 7-0 contest to Arkansas. Sunday's finale against Arkansas saw Northwestern storm back from an early six-run deficit before dropping a 9-8 decision to the Razorbacks.
Northwestern sits at 6-9 on the season, with seven of its nine losses coming against ranked opponents. Collectively, Northwestern's opponents in its nine losses hold a combined record of 88-25 (.779 winning percentage) to date. Over their first five weekends of action this season, 16 of the Wildcats' first 23 games will come against 2025 NCAA Tournament teams (including 11 different opponents).
Senior Kelsey Nader leads the Wildcats with a .391 batting average (18-for-46) and 11 runs scored through three weekends of play. Last weekend in Fayetteville, Nader posted a team-best .529 on-base percentage across five games, going 7-for-15 with six runs scored. She matched her career high with three runs scored in Saturday's win over Southeast Missouri and recorded her first three-hit game of the season in Sunday's finale against Arkansas.
Catcher Emma Raye enters the week hitting .366 (15-for-41) with a team-high .447 on-base percentage and .683 slugging percentage, as seven of her 15 hits have gone for extra bases. At the Razorback Invitational, Raye went 7-for-16 with six RBI, a home run, two doubles and three runs scored, highlighted by a three-hit, three-RBI performance Sunday that included a double and a game-tying home run.
Kaylie Avvisato leads the Wildcats with 16 RBI through three weekends, accounting for 25% of the team's total RBI. In Saturday's 12-1 run-rule victory over Southeast Missouri, Avvisato delivered a career-high five RBI, finishing 2-for-4 with a triple and a grand slam. Her two-out RBI triple tied the game in the third inning before her grand slam punctuated an eight-run sixth inning.
In the circle, Marina Mason leads Northwestern with 28.2 innings pitched and 35 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .220 batting average. Over three appearances last weekend, Mason tossed a team-high 10.1 innings, striking out 13 and limiting hitters to a .175 average. She earned the win against Southeast Missouri with 5.0 innings of one-run ball, striking out seven and retiring the final 14 batters she faced, and added 2.0 scoreless innings in relief Sunday against Arkansas.
Riley Grudzielanek and Emma Blea combined to secure Friday's 4-1 win over SEMO. Grudzielanek earned the victory with 5.0 innings in the circle, striking out six while allowing just two hits and one run, including stranding the bases loaded in the fifth inning. Blea closed out the final 2.0 innings to earn the save, permitting no hits and striking out three of the seven batters she faced.
Signe Dohse carries a team-low 0.64 ERA (2 ER/22.0 IP) and has thrown 6.0 or more innings in both of her starts this season. On Saturday against Arkansas, Dohse logged 6.0 innings and allowed two earned runs.
Northwestern holds a 2-0 record all-time against Boston, with the teams' most recent meeting coming in 2024 with a 2-0 Wildcats win. The Wildcats also hold a 2-0 all-time record against Duke, most recently defeating the Blue Devils, 4-1, in the 2025 NFCA Leadoff Classic last February. Northwestern is 74-35 all-time against Big Ten foe Ohio State, and the 'Cats captured two of three games in the teams' most recent series in 2024.
Following this weekend's games, Northwestern travels to Washington for three games (March 6-8) in what marks the Wildcats' first trip to Seattle since 2018, as well as their first Big Ten series of 2026.
Players Mentioned
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