Northwestern
Penn State
Wildcats Open Big Ten Play with Four Games in Oklahoma City
3/12/2025 6:39:00 PM | Softball
Oklahoma City, Okla. – After a week layoff, Northwestern opens up conference play with four games in four days in Oklahoma City at Devon Park, the site of the Women's College World Series.
The three-time defending Big Ten champions face off against Penn State on Thursday and Friday evening, with both games starting at 6:30 pm CT, before taking on Michigan State on Saturday at 2 pm CT and Sunday at 10 am CT. All games will be streamed live on B1G+, with Jay Wilson (play-by-by) and Wildcat alum Sydney Supple (analyst) on the call.
In each of the last two seasons, Northwestern has gone a perfect 8-0 in its conference series. Over the past three seasons, the Wildcats boast an .853 winning percentage (58-10) in Big Ten play, the highest mark in the conference. The 'Cats enter Big Ten play this year with a 9-9 record on the season, currently riding a three-game winning streak after closing the Cardinal Classic with a pair of decisive wins over Longwood, followed by a 5-1 win over the hosts, Louisville.
Lauren Boyd led the Wildcats' pitching staff in Louisville, earning two victories in two complete game performances while striking out 14 and allowing just two earned runs in 12.0 innings. In the weekend finale win over Louisville, Boyd recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts while allowing just five hits in 7.0 innings. The graduate student from Union, Missouri is now 3-0 in her last three appearances, posting a 1.15 ERA (3 ER/18.2 IP) and 20 strikeouts in those outings while holding opponents to a .185 batting average.
Kelsey Nader led the Wildcats at the plate over the Louisville weekend, hitting .500 (7-for-14) with a double, a homer and four RB while recording multi-hit games in three of Northwestern's four games. Last season, Nader led the Wildcats in Big Ten play with a jaw-dropping .473 batting average (35-for-74) in 22 Big Ten games to go along with a team-best 20 RBI and 22 runs scored. Her 35 hits and .473 batting average in conference play ranked second among all players in the conference, trailing only the Big Ten Player of the Year, Jess Oakland (Minnesota).
First-year Kaylie Avvisato leads Northwestern with a .382 average, 21 hits, 31 total bases and six stolen bases on the year. She has reached base in 12-consecutive games entering this weekend, and ranks tied for the team lead with Nader in both multi-hit games (5) and multi-RBI games (3) so far this season. Most recently against Louisville on March 2, Avvisato hit her first-career home run as part of a five-run rally in the top of the fifth inning to power the 'Cats to a 5-1 win. The Leesburg, Virginia native is also tied for the team-lead with a .564 slugging percentage.
Junior Bridget Donahey also boasts a .564 slugging percentage while leading the Wildcats with an astounding .473 on-base percentage and a 1.037 OPS. The junior has been exceptional at creating runs for the Wildcats, drawing a team-high 13 walks while also leading the team with 14 runs scored. Last season, Donahey led Northwestern with 32 walks, which ranked sixth in the Big Ten, while her .450 on-base percentage ranked 11th in the conference and second on the team behind only Kansas Robinson.
Isabel Cunnea had a stellar performance in her last weekend of action, hitting .462 (6-for-13) with a team-leading five RBI, a double, a homer and three runs scored. The sophomore from Oak Lawn, Illinois hit her first home run of the season on Friday against Central Michigan, then followed that up by driving in a season-best three RBI in Friday's run-rule victory over Longwood. Cunnea is now riding a career-long six-game hitting streak, tied for the longest by a Wildcat this season. During that span she has raised her batting average by almost .140 points, up to .282 (11-for-39).
Entering this weekend, Northwestern holds a strength of schedule of 23rd in the nation among 309 total D1 programs, including the second-highest in the Big Ten behind UCLA (17th). With six ranked matchups this year, Northwestern has already surpassed their number of ranked opponents from the 2024 season (5). Next weekend, the Wildcats are slated to host a three-game series vs. No. 19 Mississippi State for opening weekend at Sharon J. Drysdale Field on March 21 and 22.
