Northwestern softball has faced a gauntlet schedule to open this season. The toll of that slate caught up with the Wildcats at Husky Softball Stadium, where they were swept by No. 22 Washington this past weekend.
The series accounted for three of NU’s 16 games against 11 2025 NCAA tournament teams the Wildcats were set to face over the first five weekends of the season. Now sitting at 8-14, 11 of Northwestern’s 14 losses have come against ranked opponents.
Here’s a brief recap of what unfolded in the
Pacific Northwest.
Game 1: Washington 13, Northwestern 2 (Friday, March 6)
The Huskies’ bats were mashing early in this one, as they registered seven runs in the first two innings combined. Washington pulled head through a string of timely hits with runners in scoring position, most of them being singles that sent runners station to station. Wildcat starter Emma Blea struggled to contain this potent offense, as she gave up six runs across 1.1 innings pitched. Blea entered the game with a 2.95 ERA and left it with a 4.63 ERA.
Washington got its big swing in the third inning, when Giselle Alvarez launched a three-run home run that widened the lead to 10-0. That came off pitcher Signe Dhose, who also saw her ERA rise to 3.95 — one of two blemishes in an otherwise consistent start to the season in the circle.
The game was then briefly suspended due to inclement weather. When play resumed, the Wildcats got on the board in the top of the fourth inning, with Bridget Donahey hitting a two-out, two-run triple to right center that plated Kansas Robinson and Grace Minarovic. Washington got those runs back in the bottom half of the frame, however, with another two-run home run, this one from Alexis DeBoer. Washington showed mercy after that, and the game ended with a 13-2 run-rule in five innings.
Game 2: Washington 2, Northwestern 0 (Saturday, March 7)
This game was a stark contrast from Friday’s outing, as it was a low-scoring pitchers’ duel where Washington ultimately prevailed. Marina Mason was dominant on the mound for NU, as she tossed a complete game, ceding three hits and two runs (though neither was earned) while striking out six. The first-year continued her steady and consistent start to her collegiate career in the circle, as she boasted a 2.13 ERA leaving this game.
Unfortunately, the Wildcat offense could not provide any run support for Mason. While she was shutting out Washington over those first five innings, the ‘Cats managed just four hits and no runs. They were able to get runners in scoring position and had opportunities to tack on runs, but failed to get the big hit that could plate runners home.
Mason ran into a bit of trouble in the bottom of the sixth, as she gave up a one-out single, then hit a batter to make it first and second with one out. Alvaraz stepped up to the plate for NU and hit a sharp ground ball in play that forced the Wildcat defense to execute and potentially get a double play. Instead, two separate throwing errors ensued on the same play, which allowed both Husky runners to come all the way around to score, while Alvaraz advanced to third base.
Those miscues ended up being the difference, as those were the only runs scored the entire afternoon. NU’s bats went quickly in order in the top of the 7th inning, giving Washington a 2-0 win — a gut-wrenching loss for the Wildcats in a game they could have won.
Game 3: Washington 10, Northwestern 4 (Sunday, March 8)
After failing to register a run over seven innings on Saturday, Northwestern’s offense was determined to put runs on the board early in this one. And Kansas Robinson did just that. Following a leadoff double from Grace Nieto, Robinson stepped up with two outs and a runner in scoring position. She launched a two-run home run into dead center field that quickly gave NU a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom half of the frame, the Huskies worked the bases loaded with one out, but managed just one run on an RBI groundout to cut the lead in half. The Wildcats tacked on two more runs in the top of the second inning, as NU took advantage of two errors from Washington’s defense to score two runs and make it a 4-1 game after just two innings.
However, the game was turned upside down in the bottom of the second inning. With Riley Grudzielanek in the circle, the Huskies loaded the bases for Alvaraz, who capped off her stout hitting this series with a grand slam to center field. In the blink of an eye, a 4-1 lead became a 5-4 deficit for NU.
Washington’s offense wasn’t done yet. Like the first game, the Huskies’ offense got hot at the right time and took advantage of it to significantly widen their lead. Only this time, it came not through singles, but through home runs. Washington mashed two more in the bottom of the third, while Alvaraz got yet another RBI on a groundout. It was a 9-4 ball game, and that score held firm for several innings as the Wildcat offense went cold again, failing to get anything going or advance runners in scoring position. Emma Blea did a good job in relief for NU, holding the Huskies’ offense to just one run in 3.2 innings pitched, which improved her ERA in relief to 1.37.
Washington got one final run in the bottom of the sixth by doing what NU couldn’t — hit a single with runners on base. The ‘Cats went down in order in the seventh, and Washington secured the sweep.
NU will attempt to shake off this series loss with a slate of non-conference games in Highland Heights, where it’ll face Detroit Mercy, Northern Iowa and Northern Kentucky. The ‘Cats will be there on March 13 and March 14 before heading to Illinois to resume conference play the following week.
