Wildcats Dominate Weekend Series vs. Michigan State, Earn Second-Straight Series Sweep

Northwestern outscores Spartans 26-7, extends winning streak to six games

Apr. 20, 2026 at 5:05am

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A cubist-style painting depicting a softball game broken down into overlapping geometric shapes and planes in shades of purple, teal, and gold, representing the Northwestern Wildcats' dominant performance against Michigan State.The Wildcats' dominant pitching and explosive offense overwhelmed Michigan State in a series sweep, keeping Northwestern in contention for the Big Ten title.Rosemont Today

The Northwestern Wildcats softball team dominated their weekend series against Michigan State, winning all three games and extending their winning streak to six games. The Wildcats outscored the Spartans 26-7 over the three-game series, which included a 10-0 run-rule victory on Friday, an 8-7 win on Saturday, and an 8-0 shutout on Sunday. Freshman pitcher Marina Mason led the way for the Wildcats, going 3-0 on the weekend with two complete game shutouts.

Why it matters

The Wildcats' dominant performance against Michigan State keeps them in the hunt for the Big Ten title, as they now sit just one game behind conference leader Indiana. Northwestern's strong pitching and hitting have fueled their six-game winning streak, and the team is ranked in the top 50 nationally in RPI, strength of schedule, and non-conference strength of schedule.

The details

In the series opener, Mason carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning and struck out six in a one-hit shutout. On Saturday, she entered in relief and stranded the tying run on third base in the seventh inning with a game-sealing strikeout. In the series finale on Sunday, Mason tossed six strikeouts in a two-hit shutout. Offensively, Emma Raye led the way for the Wildcats, driving in nine RBIs while going 5-for-8 with four extra-base hits, including two home runs. Bridget Donahey also had a strong weekend, reaching base in 7-of-10 plate appearances.

  • The Wildcats opened the weekend with a 10-0 run-rule victory over the Spartans on Friday evening.
  • On Saturday afternoon, Northwestern followed up with an 8-7 victory.
  • The Wildcats closed the weekend with an 8-0 win in five innings on Sunday evening.

The players

Marina Mason

A freshman right-handed pitcher for the Wildcats, she went 3-0 over the weekend with 13 strikeouts and a pair of complete game shutouts. Her 2.28 ERA leads all rookies in the Big Ten and ranks third overall in the conference.

Emma Raye

The reigning Big Ten Player of the Week, she drove in nine RBIs while going 5-for-8 with four extra-base hits, including two home runs. Raye raised her batting average to a team-leading .412 and her slugging percentage to .832 on the season.

Bridget Donahey

The senior shortstop reached base in 7-of-10 plate appearances over the weekend, going 4-for-7 with a homer, a double, three walks, three RBIs and three runs scored. She now ranks second on the team with a 1.080 OPS on the year.

Grace Nieto

The fifth-year senior reached base in 6-of-11 plate appearances (.545), drawing a team-high four walks. Her 37 walks on the season are already more than double her previous career high and rank second in the Big Ten.

Kaylie Avvisato

The sophomore extended her reached base streak to a career-high 20 consecutive games, during which she is hitting .418 with 25 RBIs and 29 runs scored.

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What they’re saying

“We've been playing really well as a team lately, and this weekend was a great example of that. Marina was dominant in the circle, and our hitters did a fantastic job of jumping on them early in each game. We're excited to keep this momentum going as we head into the final stretch of the season.”

— Kate Drohan, Head Coach

What’s next

The Wildcats will travel to DeKalb, Illinois for a midweek matchup with NIU on Tuesday at 6 pm CT. Following that, they will hit the road for a three-game weekend series against Purdue in West Lafayette, beginning on Friday, April 24.

The takeaway

Northwestern's dominant performance against Michigan State has them firmly in the hunt for the Big Ten title, as they continue to get strong contributions from their pitching staff and lineup. The Wildcats' ability to win series sweeps and limit opponents' scoring has them positioned well for a strong finish to the regular season.