Softball: Northwestern blows out Michigan State

Northwestern softball secured its second straight sweep in conference play, outlasting Michigan State across three games at Rosemont this past weekend. These wins — two decisive victories and one nail-biter — lifted the Wildcats (23-19, 11-7 B1G) in the Big Ten standings, extended their winning streak to six and continued their recent momentum in conference play. While Michigan State (15-28, 2-15 B1G) ranks dead last in the conference, the ‘Cats took care of business and ensured no upsets occurred amid a conference where any slip can prove costly.

Game 1: Northwestern 10, Michigan State 0 (5 innings) The ‘Cats started this series in dominating fashion. While the offense may have driven headlines, the game’s most valuable player was Marina Mason in the circle. The standout first-year pitched 5.

0 innings of one-hit ball, walking two batters and striking out six. Her performance on Friday night was a driving reason behind her being named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week. Striking out the side to close out a one-hit shutout?

Marina Mason, take a bow 👏 pic. twitter. com/Fh5eP4L4tX — Northwestern Softball (@NUSBcats) April 18, 2026 While Mason shut down the Spartans’ offense from start to finish, the ‘Cats offense took advantage with sustained scoring across four innings.