As No. 21 Northwestern took the field Friday at LSU’s Purple & Gold Challenge, it set the stage for what it hoped would be a statement win in its first of three games against a ranked opponent this weekend.
After a sharp defensive start, the Wildcats (5-5, 0-0 Big Ten) seemed poised to dominate early, stifling No. 18 Virginia Tech in the first inning.
But NU’s early momentum evaporated as junior infielder Kansas Robinson and junior outfielder Kelsey Nader — both of whom sat amongst the top 10 in Big Ten batting average last season — were quickly dispatched on strikeouts to open the game.
It was a foreboding sign of what was to come as Hokies (7-0, 0-0 ACC) pitcher Emma Lemley continued to roll, recording 16 strikeouts and her second consecutive perfect game as she left the ’Cats in the dust, handing them a 3-0 loss.
“You can’t change what happened, you can only learn,” senior infielder Grace Nieto said of starting the weekend with a hitless opener. “What we tried to do was use it as an opportunity to get better for the next couple of games.”
Following their opening loss to Virginia Tech, the ’Cats’ road only grew tougher as they braced for a showdown with perennial juggernaut No. 7 LSU.
NU managed an early advantage after Nader and Robinson — flip-flopped in the lineup for the first time since last year’s nonconference slate — walked to open the contest and Nader scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore catcher Emma Raye.
Sophomore pitcher Riley Grudzielanek held the Tigers (7-0, 0-0 SEC) to a scoreless first inning, but ultimately surrendered seven runs on eight hits and four walks — compounded by two defensive errors from her teammates.
Grudzielanek led the team with two hits in the 7-1 loss, working her way into the cleanup slot of the lineup by the end of the weekend.
“I think it’s very important to separate the two,” Grudzielanek said. “You don’t take offense into defense and don’t take defense into offense.”
Redshirt freshman pitcher Signe Dohse made her first career appearance in relief for Grudzielanek, entering the game in the fourth inning and conceding zero runs.
In NU’s 6-1 victory over UT Arlington the following day, Dohse earned the start and picked up the win. After a rocky start — where the Mavericks capitalized on a walk, wild pitch and single to establish an early lead — the ’Cats locked in and didn’t allow another run for the rest of the game.
Nieto led the team with three hits in that game, driving in two runs on RBI singles.
But NU couldn’t carry that winning momentum into a rematch with LSU Saturday, dropping its second game of the day in an 8-0 run-rule result as junior outfielder Kelsey Nader and freshman infielder Kaylie Avvisato were the only players to record hits.
Graduate student pitcher Lauren Boyd and sophomore pitcher Renae Cunningham shared the pitching responsibilities, as Boyd gave up six runs on six hits in just 1.1 innings in the circle.
Coach Kate Drohan’s group ended the weekend on a high note, though, defeating UT Arlington in an 11-3 mercy rule win of its own Sunday.
Following a slow offensive start to her season, Robinson racked up a team-high four hits — including two doubles and two RBIs — in the win.
Avvisato recorded three hits Sunday, continuing the dominant start to her collegiate career in which she has gone 15-for-33 at the plate. She now leads the team in batting average and sits 12th in the Big Ten.
“I try to hunt the strikes early,” Avvisato said. “I try not to get behind in counts because that’s when the pitchers throw their [best] stuff.”
The ’Cats’ offense exploded in the fifth inning, scoring seven of their 11 runs. Freshman outfielder Avery Garden blasted her first career homer — a three-run shot — while sophomore infielder Ainsley Muno added a home run of her own to seal the win.
Following a 2-3 showing in Baton Rouge, the ’Cats will prepare for their annual trip to California for four games at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic next weekend.
Email: audreypachuta2027@u.northwestern.edu
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