The first-year catcher is poised to stand out against the Boilermakers this weekend.
Special players find ways to take over ballgames. Tuesday afternoon’s 4-1 victory over Illinois was certainly one of those days for Northwestern softball’s Emma Raye.
The first-year catcher helped toss aside three baserunners within the first 11 outs, before mustering up her offensive juices by hammering an RBI double down the left-field line in the fourth and an insurance one-run blast in the sixth. Although Raye only went 2-for-9 during the weekend series against Maryland, she flashed her talents with a solo shot in Northwestern’s 12-1 win Saturday while throwing out a baserunner in Sunday’s 2-1 victory.
Defensively, Raye has been magical behind the plate. Coach Kate Drohan has referenced her plus-plus arm being a huge factor, but her fundamentals and chemistry with ace Ashley Miller pop up with the eye test.
Not only does Raye lead every starting Big Ten catcher in SBA%, but even outpaces Jordyn Rudd’s 2022 season, when the Northwestern legend threw out 16 base stealers en route to winning the 2022 Rawlings Gold Glove Award and being named the 2022 Softball America National Defensive Player of the Year.
With Purdue’s aggressive approach on the basepaths, expect for Raye’s cannon to come into play as the ‘Cats head to West Lafayette this weekend for a three-game series. The Boilermakers are second in the Big Ten with 85 stolen bases on the season, while averaging 2.4 stolen base attempts per game.
Although the first-year helped take three runners off the basepaths against Illinois on Tuesday, she won’t be able to count the third as a runner she caught stealing. Given the third baserunner Raye mowed down wasn’t going on the pitch and only attempted to move up 60 feet once the ball was in the dirt, it would not have been a stolen base if she had been successful. Therefore that play won’t add to Raye’s tally of runners she’s caught stealing (CSB).
Second in the conference in runners caught stealing, Raye has already matched Rudd’s totals from her 2021 and 2023 campaigns. Her arm is not only powerful but incredibly accurate, allowing Raye to effectively at throw runners out from her knees.
In terms of fundamentals, Raye keeps everything in front of her. Excellent with her positioning and reaction time, Raye has only allowed two passed balls all season. The ability to trust Raye has been huge for Ashley Miller’s success, allowing Northwestern’s ace to be aggressive with her changeup with runners on base. Without Raye’s brick-wall traits behind the plate, Miller would be forced to become too predictable while dealing with runners in scoring position. That’s just simply not the case when pitching to the first-year.
Even as a leader, Raye has excelled. After Northwestern’s pitching coach Michelle Gascoigne was ejected from Tuesday’s game, Raye worked with Miller to call pitches the rest of the afternoon. That’s incredibly impressive for a first-year a little over halfway through her first Big Ten regular season.
Northwestern pitching coach Michelle Gascoigne was just ejected from the ‘Cats’ game against Illinois.
I’ve never seen that before, but that was electric.
Appears first-year catcher Emma Raye is now calling the game from behind the dish.
— David Gold (@david_a_gold) April 16, 2024
Offensively, Raye’s power has shined as she’s continued to develop consistency at the plate. One thing nobody is doubting is her ability to mash the softball.
Although her batting average has fallen under .200 at times this season, with multiple hits in two of her last three games — including two home runs in that span — her batting average is at its highest point since late February. Meanwhile, her extra-base hit rate — the percentage of hits that go for two or more bases — is at an all-time high.
Striking out just over 18% of the time, strikeouts have been problematic for the first-year. With 22 strikeouts on the season, Raye has been punched out the second-most of any Wildcat — just two fewer times than the team’s leader Bridget Donahey. Compared to the rest of the Big Ten, Raye is tied for 21st in strikeouts.
With a matchup against Purdue on deck, Raye’s ability to hit the softball with velocity bodes well. The Boilermakers’ pitching staff has allowed 46 home runs — the most of any Big Ten squad. At the same time, Purdue’s pitchers have combined for only 135 punch-outs, the conference’s second-lowest total.
After a midweek game where Northwestern’s first-year dazzled her arm talent and ability to hit for extra bases, Raye has an anticipated matchup against Purdue this weekend. Purdue struggles to keep the ball in the park — something that entertains Raye’s ability to nuke one over the fence — and runs the bases aggressively — bringing the first-year’s defense into play. Against the Boilermakers, expect Raye to give fans another taste of what she’s capable of.