Friday, March 25
Evanston, Ill.
1 pm
Michigan State University
at
Northwestern
Softball to Open Big Ten Play at No. 11 Northwestern
3/23/2022 3:14:00 PM | Softball
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State will open Big Ten play against No. 11 Northwestern on Friday, March 25 at 1 p.m. eastern/12 p.m. central. MSU travels to Evanston for a three-game series against a potent Wildcats team that is 19-4 this season. All games against Northwestern will be broadcast live on BTN+, with live stats provided on NUSports.com.
THE SCHEDULE (UPDATED 3/24)
Game One – Friday, March 25 – 1 p.m. EDT/12 p.m. CDT
Live Stream: BTN+
Live Stats
Game Two – Friday, March 25 – 3:30 p.m. EDT/2:30 p.m. CDT
Live Stream: BTN+
Live Stats
Game Three – Saturday, March 26 – 2 p.m. EDT/1 p.m. CDT
Live Stream: BTN+
Live Stats
ABOUT THE SPARTANS
Michigan State enters the weekend having won five games in a row, shutting out its opponents in four straight games (Delaware State, Elon, Oakland, Central Michigan). Michigan State has played much improved defense in 2022 with a .971 fielding percentage. That mark would rank #2 all-time for an MSU softball team, tied with the 1986 and 2003 teams. Only the 2002 team has a better season fielding percentage of .973. MSU's .971 mark is tied for fifth best in the Big Ten, up from 12th in 2021.
Sophomore Ashley Miller has been one of the best pitchers in the Big Ten so far this season, leading the conference in ERA (0.61) and strikeouts (137). Miller ranks #3 in opposing batting average (.162), #4 in innings pitched (91.1), and #2 in batters struck out looking (30). Miller is #11 nationally in strikeouts (137), #8 nationally in shutouts (5) and #8 in ERA (0.61). Her K/7 ranks #25 at 10.5.
Joined by junior Sarah Ladd and freshmen Faith Guidry and Ashley Martin, Michigan State's pitching staff tops the Big Ten in team ERA at 1.30.
Sophomore Alexis Barroso has been one of the hottest bats in the conference, hitting .600 (15-for-25) in Michigan State's last 10 games. Barroso leads the team with 14 RBIs over that span as the Spartans have gone 8-2. Over the last five Barroso is hitting .786 (11-for-14).
Senior Jessica Mabrey has been stellar in the lead-off spot for the Spartans, hitting .311 with a team-high .469 on-base percentage. Mabrey leads the team with three home runs. Mabrey is hitting .600 when she leads off an inning. Mabrey's 16 walks would have led the team during the 2021 season. Camryn Wincher has turned in a strong junior campaign with a .392 batting average, ranking second on the team in RBI with 17. Wincher has the most hits on the team with 31.
Fifth-year Caitie Ladd has hits in seven of MSU's last 10 games, hitting .379 (11-for-29) over that stretch. Ladd is the team-leader with seven stolen bases this season.
ABOUT THE WILDCATS
Northwestern is 19-4 this season, having won nine consecutive games heading into the weekend. This will be Northwestern's first home series of the year. The Wildcats went 17-4 at neutral sites and 2-0 on the road to open the season. The Wildcats last won four games at the Mizzou Classic. Northwestern has faced eight ranked opponents, going 6-2 in those games.
Kate Drohan is in her 21st season as head coach at Northwestern, owning a 677-391-1 record over that span. Northwestern was 30-17 last season, advancing to the NCAA Regional in Lexington, Kentucky where they dropped a pair of games to Kentucky.
Rachel Lewis owns a team-best 1.210 OPS, hitting .329 with a .467 on-base percentage and a .743 slugging percentage. Lewis leads the team in home runs with eight and has stolen 11 bases this season. Nikki Cuchran leads Northwestern with a .394 batting average, ranking second on the team in total hits with 28 and leading the team in RBIs with 25.
Jordyn Rudd is hitting .353 for the Wildcats with the second most RBI on the team (23). Skyler Shellmyer is hitting .345 while tying for the team-high in stolen bases with 11.
Danielle Williams is one of the top pitchers in the Big Ten with a 0.94 ERA and a .74 WHIP over 89.1 innings pitched. Williams has struck out 131 batters and has limited opposing batters to a .131 batting average. Williams will also come on in relief where she has four saves this season. Williams' 3.21 hits per seven innings ranks #8 nationally.
Lauren Boyd and Lauren Dvorak see an equal amount of work in the circle, with Dvorak throwing 28.2 innings and Boyd tossing 27.2. Boyd has the better ERA at 1.27 while Dvorak has the better WHIP at 1.22.
Northwestern's defense is on par with Michigan State's with a .970 fielding percentage this season.
UP NEXT
Following the series against Northwestern, Michigan State is set to play seven games in eight days, all at home, facing Detroit Mercy (x2), Toledo, Ohio State (x3) and Oakland.
THE SCHEDULE (UPDATED 3/24)
Game One – Friday, March 25 – 1 p.m. EDT/12 p.m. CDT
Live Stream: BTN+
Live Stats
Game Two – Friday, March 25 – 3:30 p.m. EDT/2:30 p.m. CDT
Live Stream: BTN+
Live Stats
Game Three – Saturday, March 26 – 2 p.m. EDT/1 p.m. CDT
Live Stream: BTN+
Live Stats
ABOUT THE SPARTANS
Michigan State enters the weekend having won five games in a row, shutting out its opponents in four straight games (Delaware State, Elon, Oakland, Central Michigan). Michigan State has played much improved defense in 2022 with a .971 fielding percentage. That mark would rank #2 all-time for an MSU softball team, tied with the 1986 and 2003 teams. Only the 2002 team has a better season fielding percentage of .973. MSU's .971 mark is tied for fifth best in the Big Ten, up from 12th in 2021.
Sophomore Ashley Miller has been one of the best pitchers in the Big Ten so far this season, leading the conference in ERA (0.61) and strikeouts (137). Miller ranks #3 in opposing batting average (.162), #4 in innings pitched (91.1), and #2 in batters struck out looking (30). Miller is #11 nationally in strikeouts (137), #8 nationally in shutouts (5) and #8 in ERA (0.61). Her K/7 ranks #25 at 10.5.
Joined by junior Sarah Ladd and freshmen Faith Guidry and Ashley Martin, Michigan State's pitching staff tops the Big Ten in team ERA at 1.30.
Sophomore Alexis Barroso has been one of the hottest bats in the conference, hitting .600 (15-for-25) in Michigan State's last 10 games. Barroso leads the team with 14 RBIs over that span as the Spartans have gone 8-2. Over the last five Barroso is hitting .786 (11-for-14).
Senior Jessica Mabrey has been stellar in the lead-off spot for the Spartans, hitting .311 with a team-high .469 on-base percentage. Mabrey leads the team with three home runs. Mabrey is hitting .600 when she leads off an inning. Mabrey's 16 walks would have led the team during the 2021 season. Camryn Wincher has turned in a strong junior campaign with a .392 batting average, ranking second on the team in RBI with 17. Wincher has the most hits on the team with 31.
Fifth-year Caitie Ladd has hits in seven of MSU's last 10 games, hitting .379 (11-for-29) over that stretch. Ladd is the team-leader with seven stolen bases this season.
ABOUT THE WILDCATS
Northwestern is 19-4 this season, having won nine consecutive games heading into the weekend. This will be Northwestern's first home series of the year. The Wildcats went 17-4 at neutral sites and 2-0 on the road to open the season. The Wildcats last won four games at the Mizzou Classic. Northwestern has faced eight ranked opponents, going 6-2 in those games.
Kate Drohan is in her 21st season as head coach at Northwestern, owning a 677-391-1 record over that span. Northwestern was 30-17 last season, advancing to the NCAA Regional in Lexington, Kentucky where they dropped a pair of games to Kentucky.
Rachel Lewis owns a team-best 1.210 OPS, hitting .329 with a .467 on-base percentage and a .743 slugging percentage. Lewis leads the team in home runs with eight and has stolen 11 bases this season. Nikki Cuchran leads Northwestern with a .394 batting average, ranking second on the team in total hits with 28 and leading the team in RBIs with 25.
Jordyn Rudd is hitting .353 for the Wildcats with the second most RBI on the team (23). Skyler Shellmyer is hitting .345 while tying for the team-high in stolen bases with 11.
Danielle Williams is one of the top pitchers in the Big Ten with a 0.94 ERA and a .74 WHIP over 89.1 innings pitched. Williams has struck out 131 batters and has limited opposing batters to a .131 batting average. Williams will also come on in relief where she has four saves this season. Williams' 3.21 hits per seven innings ranks #8 nationally.
Lauren Boyd and Lauren Dvorak see an equal amount of work in the circle, with Dvorak throwing 28.2 innings and Boyd tossing 27.2. Boyd has the better ERA at 1.27 while Dvorak has the better WHIP at 1.22.
Northwestern's defense is on par with Michigan State's with a .970 fielding percentage this season.
UP NEXT
Following the series against Northwestern, Michigan State is set to play seven games in eight days, all at home, facing Detroit Mercy (x2), Toledo, Ohio State (x3) and Oakland.
Players Mentioned
3B
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
2B
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
1B
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