Wildcats softball rolls into NCAA Tournament

Photo at top: The Wildcats take fielding practice ahead of the NCAA Regional. They play Oklahoma State on Friday afternoon in Athens, Georgia. (Adam Rossow/MEDILL)

By Adam Rossow

It was unconventional, but not unprecedented for Northwestern softball.

The Wildcats received their third-straight at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament earlier this week after making a furious late season rally. They won 16 of their final 22 games and vaulted to a third-place finish in the Big Ten.
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Northwestern’s strong play down the stretch evened its record at 26-26, after being as many as ten games below the .500 mark. The finish conjured up memories of 2012, when the Wildcats won eight of their final nine games to also close at .500 and qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

Northwestern opens play in the double-elimination format against Oklahoma State at noon on Friday. Win or lose, they play on Saturday afternoon against either Maine or No. 16 Georgia.

Photo at top: The Wildcats take fielding practice ahead of the NCAA Regional. They play Oklahoma State on Friday afternoon in Athens, Georgia. (Adam Rossow/MEDILL)