When Bridget Donahey stepped into the batter’s box Saturday afternoon with the tying run on deck, bases loaded, just one out and a 2-0 count against her, it looked like Northwestern had a real shot at making a huge comeback to secure the series win. No. 17 Oregon had led entering the inning, 4-2, before tacking on three more runs in the top of the seventh that looked to all but seal the game. But the Wildcats wouldn’t roll over, as they fought their way back into the game against last year’s Big
Ten regular-season champions.
Then the clock struck 3 p.m. Due to Oregon’s travel schedule, a drop-dead time provision ended the match before Donahey had a shot at another pitch, reverting the score back to the start of the inning and sealing a 4-2 Ducks win at The Ballpark at Rosemont.
The loss drops the Wildcats down to an even .500 at 16-16 overall and 4-5 in Big Ten play, wrapping up a one-win series against Oregon — a series that kicked off with one of Northwestern’s most dominant wins of the season before falling apart in the final two days of play.
In that Thursday game, the Wildcats routed the Ducks in six innings, their first ranked win and their first run-rule against a ranked opponent since doing so last May against No. 8 UCLA, 8-0. Northwestern had nine hits on the day, seven of which went for extra bases including three triples in the fifth inning — tying a program record set in both 2014 and 1986.
First-year Marina Mason was a steady force in the circle, allowing just one run in 6.0 innings that gave her the seventh win of her season and seventh complete game. Sophomore Kaylie Avvisato went 3-for-4 with four RBIs while first-year Tru Medina contributed a double, a triple and two RBIs in her first home series as a Wildcat.
Friday was a different story for Northwestern, as Oregon’s pitching held the Wildcats to just one hit in a 4-0 shutout. Signe Dohse and Riley Grudzielanek both provided solid relief — with Dohse throwing for 3.0 innings without allowing a run — but starter Emma Blea struggled early on, allowing three runs in three innings and took the loss.
Saturday’s loss was the most painful of the three. Mason returned to the circle tying a career high with nine strikeouts, but gave up four runs — three of which were earned — in five innings. Northwestern’s two runs came via a Medina solo homer in the third and an Avvisato RBI single in the fifth that allowed Medina to score again.
On the weekend, Mason’s performance stands out as a highlight. Her 13 strikeouts from the weekend bring her season total up to 85, already passing the record for most by a first-year pitcher since Danielle Williams in 2019.
Offensively, Medina’s weekend stands out after she went 3-for-6 including a home run, a triple and a double that brought in three runs while scoring five of her own. Nine of her 16 hits this season have now gone for extra bases. Avvisato was close behind, finishing 4-for-9 with a team-high five RBIs and has now reached base in 10 consecutive games.
Coming up next, the Wildcats will return to Rosemont next weekend to play host to Michigan, with back-to-back games at 7 p.m. CT Friday and Saturday before Sunday’s series finale at 1:30 p.m. CT.
