Friday, February 28
Louisville, Ky.
9 am CT
Northwestern
6-9
2
vs
4
Central Michigan
2-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Central Michigan
0
2
1
1
0
0
0
4
9
2
Northwestern
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
2
7
0
Photo by: Connor Cunningham/Northwestern Athletics
‘Cats Run-Rule Longwood, Split Friday Doubleheader
2/28/2025 6:11:00 PM | Softball
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Northwestern earned a 9-1 run-rule victory over Longwood in five innings to cap off a Friday afternoon doubleheader to start its stay at the Cardinal Classic.
The 'Cats dropped the morning game on Friday, 4-2, to Central Michigan. Northwestern is back in action on Saturday for a doubleheader that includes a rematch against Longwood at 2 pm CT, followed by a meeting with the hosts, Louisville afterwards at approximately 4:30 pm CT that will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
Lauren Boyd earned the win over Longwood, improving to 3-2 on the season while allowing just three hits and one run in 5.0 innings pitched while striking out three. Boyd has now earned a win in back-to-back appearances, and boasts a 1.25 ERA (2 ER/11.2 IP) with 9 strikeouts in those two games.
Four different Wildcats drove in runs against the Lancers, including four extra-base RBI-hits. Kansas Robinson got the scoring started with a two-out, two-run home run to center field, her first long ball of the season. Bridget Donahey kept the two-out rally going with a double in the very next at-bat, and Isabel Cunnea added to the first inning scoring with an RBI-single.
Kelsey Nader extended the lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the third inning after hitting a lead-off single, promptly stealing second, and eventually scoring on a wild pitch. Later that inning, Donahey added to the lead with a solo home run to center field, her team-leading third homer of the season.
The 'Cats put the game on ice in the fifth inning, scoring four runs on three hits to secure the run-rule victory. Cunnea drove in two runs with a double down the left field line to bring around Nader and Kaylie Avvisato. The very next at-bat, Emma Raye drove in Grace Minarovic and Donahey to push the lead to eight and secure a run-rule.
Cunnea also homered in game one of the day against Central Michigan, hitting a lead-off shot in the bottom of the second inning for her first long ball of the season. Kelsey Nader added an RBI in the fifth inning, finishing the game going 2-for-4 in what marked her first of two multi-hit efforts on the day.
Renae Cunningham threw 5.1 innings of relief, allowing two runs while recording six strikeouts. It marked Cunningham's longest outing of the season, and her most strikeouts in an appearance since fanning eight in her first-ever start on February 11, 2024.
The 'Cats dropped the morning game on Friday, 4-2, to Central Michigan. Northwestern is back in action on Saturday for a doubleheader that includes a rematch against Longwood at 2 pm CT, followed by a meeting with the hosts, Louisville afterwards at approximately 4:30 pm CT that will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
Lauren Boyd earned the win over Longwood, improving to 3-2 on the season while allowing just three hits and one run in 5.0 innings pitched while striking out three. Boyd has now earned a win in back-to-back appearances, and boasts a 1.25 ERA (2 ER/11.2 IP) with 9 strikeouts in those two games.
Four different Wildcats drove in runs against the Lancers, including four extra-base RBI-hits. Kansas Robinson got the scoring started with a two-out, two-run home run to center field, her first long ball of the season. Bridget Donahey kept the two-out rally going with a double in the very next at-bat, and Isabel Cunnea added to the first inning scoring with an RBI-single.
Kelsey Nader extended the lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the third inning after hitting a lead-off single, promptly stealing second, and eventually scoring on a wild pitch. Later that inning, Donahey added to the lead with a solo home run to center field, her team-leading third homer of the season.
The 'Cats put the game on ice in the fifth inning, scoring four runs on three hits to secure the run-rule victory. Cunnea drove in two runs with a double down the left field line to bring around Nader and Kaylie Avvisato. The very next at-bat, Emma Raye drove in Grace Minarovic and Donahey to push the lead to eight and secure a run-rule.
Cunnea also homered in game one of the day against Central Michigan, hitting a lead-off shot in the bottom of the second inning for her first long ball of the season. Kelsey Nader added an RBI in the fifth inning, finishing the game going 2-for-4 in what marked her first of two multi-hit efforts on the day.
Renae Cunningham threw 5.1 innings of relief, allowing two runs while recording six strikeouts. It marked Cunningham's longest outing of the season, and her most strikeouts in an appearance since fanning eight in her first-ever start on February 11, 2024.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Brooklyn Compau (1-1)
L: Grudzielanek, Riley (2-5)
Batting:
2B: Tori Briggs 1 ; Grace Koenig 1 ; Keira Tolmie 1
HR: Carly Sleeman 1
RBI: Tori Briggs 1 ; Carly Sleeman 1 ; Keira Tolmie 1 ; Maddie Springer 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Carly Sleeman 1 ; Grace Koenig 1 ; Keira Tolmie 1 ; Maddie Springer 1
Batting:
2B: Avvisato, Kaylie 1
HR: Cunnea, Isabel 1
RBI: Nader, Kelsey 1 ; Cunnea, Isabel 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Robinson, Kansas 1 ; Cunnea, Isabel 1
PO: Cunnea, Isabel 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
P/IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
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
