Wildcats Break up 4 Video games at Duke Invitational

DURHAM, N.C. – Northwestern cut up a set of Friday and Saturday doubleheaders on the Duke Invitational this weekend.

The Wildcats fell to Boston U, 6-4, on Friday earlier than responding with an emphatic 11-1 win over Ohio State later within the day. On Saturday, the ‘Cats bounced again towards BU with a 6-3 win earlier than falling to the hosts, No. 20 Duke, 6-1, within the weekend finale.

In recreation one towards BU, the Terriers jumped out to a 6-0 lead within the high of the second inning. Northwestern held BU scoreless for the rest of the sport, as Emma Blea delivered an incredible aid effort, tossing a career-high 5.1 innings whereas permitting only one hit throughout 19 batters confronted. The ‘Cats rallied with 4 runs within the backside of the sixth inning, bringing the tying run to the plate, however finally couldn’t full the rally.

Playing in a uncommon non-conference matchup towards a Big Ten opponent, Northwestern rode a dominant full recreation efficiency from Marina Mason to a win over Ohio State on Friday. After permitting a first-inning dwelling run, Mason proceeded to fireside 6.2 scoreless innings, retiring 20 of the final 24 batters she confronted–together with the final 9 batters of the sport–en path to her third win on the 12 months. It marked the second full recreation of the season from Mason, who additionally notched eight strikeouts within the recreation.

On Saturday, Northwestern plated runs in every of the primary 5 innings towards BU en path to a 6-3 wire-to-wire victory. Riley Grudzielanek tossed a whole recreation within the circle, her first of the season, permitting simply three hits in 7.0 innings whereas hanging out six.

The Wildcats jumped out to a 1-0 lead over Duke within the first inning of Saturday’s finale, nevertheless the Blue Devils responded with 4 dwelling runs and a whole recreation efficiency from pitcher Cassidy Curd en path to a 6-1 Duke victory.

Grace Nieto led the Wildcats on the plate over the weekend, going 6-for-14 with a team-leading .529 on-base proportion and 4 runs scored, scoring in every recreation this weekend. Nieto leads the workforce this season with 14 runs scored, and is one in every of three hitters within the lineup to boast a batting common above .300 (.323) and an OBP over .400 (.408).

Hitting one spot behind Nieto within the lineup, Kelsey Nader recorded successful in each recreation of the weekend (5-for-12), drove in a run in each video games towards BU, and now rides a seven-game hitting streak. Nader is hitting a team-high .397 (23-for-58) on the 12 months, having already entered the season ranked within the top-10 in program historical past in profession batting common.

Kansas Robinson offered an influence surge all through the weekend, going 5-for-13 whereas main the workforce with 5 RBI and two dwelling runs to associate with a .923 slugging proportion. Robinson went 3-for-3 towards Ohio State, blasting a two-run dwelling run within the high of the seventh inning to jumpstart a seven-run inning for the ‘Cats, through which the primary 9 batters of the body reached base. Robinson homered for the second recreation in a row towards BU on Saturday, offering a two-run blast within the third inning to increase NU’s lead. Robinson is tied for the workforce lead this season with three dwelling runs, whereas her 14 RBI path solely Kaylie Avvisato (17).

Northwestern is again in motion subsequent weekend because the ‘Cats kick off Big Ten play with a three-game sequence at Washington (March 6-8), in what marks the Wildcats’ first journey to Seattle since 2018.