Northwestern swept Penn State on the road this weekend, righting the ship in overwhelming fashion following brutal series losses to No. 15 Oregon and Michigan and a midweek loss to DePaul.
The Wildcats (20-19, 8-7 Big Ten) played Penn State (26-15, 7-8 Big Ten) in Happy Valley for the first time since 2015.
The sweep gives the ’Cats a winning record both overall and in the Big Ten. Two of the three wins were run-rule victories, with the final game of the series ending in a dominant 17-3 victory Sunday for the ’Cats.
NU has now won its last 19 matchups against the Nittany Lions and holds a 59-16 all-time record.
The ’Cats took the series opener Friday with an 8-2 victory. Freshman pitcher Marina Mason pitched six innings, giving up just two hits, and was credited with the win.
NU established itself early with a five-run third inning. Sophomore center fielder Kaylie Avvisato opened the scoring by hitting a homer to right-center field, bringing in three runs.
In the fourth inning, junior catcher Emma Raye extended the lead to 8-0 for the ’Cats by hitting a three-run homer to center field. Raye is NU’s leader in batting average, slugging percentage, home runs, hits and RBI.
The ’Cats clinched the series Saturday with a run-rule 13-4 victory. Redshirt sophomore pitcher Signe Dohse was credited with the win, and sophomore pitcher Emma Blea was credited with the save. NU finished the game with 14 hits, while Penn State gave up three errors and eight walks.
The ’Cats once again took an early lead, scoring runs on a passed ball and an RBI single from senior shortstop Bridget Donahey in the first inning.
NU’s pitching struggled with control in the bottom of the second inning, giving up five walks, a wild pitch and a hit by pitch. Despite the Nittany Lions recording no hits in the inning, they scored three runs to cut the ’Cats’ lead to 4-3 by the end of the inning.
Junior left fielder Isabel Cunnea led NU’s offensive surge with RBI singles in the third and fourth innings, followed by a fifth-inning RBI double. Both Cunnea and Raye went 3-for-4 for the night to help the ’Cats secure the series win.
On Sunday, NU completed the sweep, winning 17-3 in six innings. Penn State scored in the first inning, leading 1-0 before the ’Cats went on a 17-2 run in the final three innings.
The ’Cats finished the game with 15 hits altogether, tied for a season high.
Raye and senior first baseman Kansas Robinson both hit home runs, and Mason was credited with her second win of the series.
Avvisato hit two home runs, her first career multi-home run game.
NU will look to continue its success at the plate against Notre Dame in South Bend on Wednesday.
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