Northwestern
22-15-1, 10-4
Rutgers
17-29, 1-13
Boyd Strikes Out 10, 'Cats Blank Rutgers to Open Series
4/18/2025 6:26:00 PM | Softball
Lauren Boyd turned in a gem for the Wildcats in the circle, tossing 6.0 scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and striking out 10 batters–including five over her final 2.0 innings of work. It marks Boyd's eighth start of the season throwing 6.0+ innings, as well as her third outing this season with double-digit strikeouts. The graduate student from Union, Missouri is limiting opposing Big Ten hitters to a .208 batting average in her eight conference appearances this season. Boyd improves to 9-4 on the season, lowering her ERA to a team-leading 2.77 (31 ER/78.1 IP) on the year.
The Wildcats scored all six of their runs in the first three innings of the game, headlined by a four-spot in the top of the second inning. The 'Cats finished the game with nine stolen bases–all in their first three innings at the plate–the second-most stolen bases in a single game in program history (10, vs. Akron on Feb. 12, 2022). Ayana Lindsey finished with a career-high three stolen bases, tied for the fifth-most by a Wildcat in program history. Kaylie Avvisato added two stolen bases of her own, bringing her total to 21 on the season (fifth-most in the Big Ten).
20 stolen bases, and counting for @kaylieavvisato!
— Northwestern Softball (@NUSBcats) April 18, 2025
Avvisato is the first Wildcat rookie to steal 20+ bases in a season since Rachel Lewis in 2018. pic.twitter.com/C8KkgdHH0M
Avvisato finished the game going 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, driving in the first run of the game via an infield single in the first inning, followed by a two-out single in the second inning to extend the 'Cats' lead. It marks Avvisato's team-best 12th multi-hit game of the season, as well as her seventh multi-RBI game on the year.
Kansas Robinson continued her red-hot stretch at the plate, reaching base three times while hitting a two-run home run in the second inning to extend Northwestern's lead to 5-0. Robinson is hitting .485 (15-for-31) with 22 RBI over her last 11 games. She leads the Wildcats with 32 RBI on the season, 17 of which have come during Big Ten play.
Also recording hits for the Wildcats was Avery Garden, who recorded a two-out RBI-single in the third inning, along with Grace Minarovic, who also added a stellar web gem robbing a potential home run in left field in the sixth inning.
Grace Minarovic ??
— Northwestern Softball (@NUSBcats) April 18, 2025
Leaping grab in left field erases a home run! pic.twitter.com/cSUzaEOjyr
Northwestern is back in action on Saturday at 2pm CT to face off against the Scarlet Knights, before wrapping the series up on Sunday at 12 pm CT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Boyd, Lauren (9-4)
L: Harrison, Ella (11-15)
Batting:
HR: Robinson, Kansas 1
RBI: Avvisato, Kaylie 2 ; Robinson, Kansas 2 ; Garden, Avery 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nieto, Grace 1 ; Nader, Kelsey 1 ; Avvisato, Kaylie 1 ; Robinson, Kansas 1 ; Lindsey, Ayana 2
SB: Nieto, Grace 1 ; Nader, Kelsey 1 ; Avvisato, Kaylie 2 ; Minarovic, Grace 1 ; Lindsey, Ayana 3 ; Garden, Avery 1
CS: Avvisato, Kaylie 1 ; Minarovic, Grace 1
HBP: Cunnea, Isabel 1 ; Lindsey, Ayana 1
Batting:
2B: Hoekstra, Siera 1
Base Running:
CS: Briggs, Bailey 1
HBP: Amadio, Allison 1
