Pronunciation: grud-zuh-LAH-nick
2025: Appeared in 25 games and made 19 starts as a sophomore … Finished with seven complete games, including a no-hitter … Posted a 2.94 ERA (14 ER/33.1 IP) in nine conference games this season, second on the team only to Lauren Boyd and seventh among all Big Ten pitchers … Scattered six hits and two earned runs over 6.0 innings against No. 15 Missouri (2/7) … Fired a complete-game against Southern Miss, allowing only two hits and one run in the longest appearance of her career (2/9) … Recorded two hits at the plate against LSU (2/14) … Allowed only one earned run in 5.0 innings and struck out two while picking up a win over UT Arlington (2/16) … Allowed just one run in 4.1 innings of work while striking out a career-high five batters in a win over Longwood (3/1) … Drove in a run at the plate in a win over Penn State (3/13) … Threw 5.1 innings in a win over Penn State, allowing only two runs and striking out five (3/15) … Fired a combined 7.2 innings in back-to-back wins over Michigan State, allowing just three hits and one run, while striking out seven (3/15-16) … Tossed a complete game to pick up a win over Minnesota, racking up four strikeouts and just three hits (3/28) … Allowed no earned runs in her sixth complete game of the season against Illinois (4/6) … Tossed 4.0 scoreless innings and allowed only one hit to beat Loyola Chicago (4/16) … Completed a no-hitter in a run-rule victory over UIC, racking up five strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work (4/22).
2024: Pitched in 18 games as a first-year … Finished with 31 strikeouts and a 3.46 ERA in 60.2 innings pitched … Finished with eight RBI and two homers on offense.
Career Highs
Innings Pitched............................................. 7.0 (3x), last vs. Illinois (4/6/25)
Strikeouts..................................................................... 11, vs. Illinois (4/6/25)
Fewest Hits Allowed (min. 5 IP)........................................ 0, at UIC (4/22/25)
Fewest Runs Allowed (min. 5 IP).......................................0, at UIC (4/22/25)
At-Bats............................................................................ 4, vs. LSU (2/16/24)
Hits.................................................................... 2 (2x), last vs. LSU (2/14/25)
Runs....................................................... 1 (6x), last vs. Penn State (3/15/25)
RBI.................................................................... 2 (2x), last vs. LSU (2/16/24)
Doubles..............................................................1 (2x), last vs. Duke (2/8/25)
Home Runs........................................................1 (2x), last vs. LSU (2/16/24)
Total Bases.................................................. 4 (2x), vs. last vs. LSU (2/16/24)
Walks...................................................... 2 (2x), last vs. Penn State (3/15/25)
High School: Three time First Team All-State Selection (2021, 2022, 2023) … 2021 Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Player of the Year … 2021 and 2022 All-Conference Pitcher of the Year … 2021 and 2022 First Team All-District and First-Team All-Conference … Set the Wisconsin state record with 22 strikeouts in a seven-inning game against Kenosha Bradford/Reuther on April 4, 2022 … Has thrown four no-hitters in two seasons of high school play … Holds Oak Creek High School's single-season home run record (9) and strikeout record (332) … Lettered three seasons in basketball and earned All-Conference Honorable Mention and team Defensive Player of the Year in 2020-21 … As a sophomore, hit .464 (49-for-84) with a .561 OBP and .881 slugging percentage, along with nine home runs, and 36 RBI in 27 games at the plate … Went 10-1 in the circle, compiling a 0.52 ERA, 0.65 WHIP, and 175 strikeouts in 81.1 innings pitched … In her junior season, tallied a.429 batting average (36-for-84), .500 OBP, .655 slugging percentage, five home runs, 23 RBI. And 13 runs scored, along with a 20-4 record in the circle, 0.51 ERA, and 332 strikeouts in 165 innings pitched … Played club softball for Velocity 18U National (2022), BATS Academy (2020-21) and Wisconsin Bandits (2019) … Uncle, Mark Grudzielanek, played 15 years in MLB for six teams, including the Chicago Cubs … Parents are Tom and Nikki Grudzielanek … Tom Played basketball for Carthage College, where he graduated as the all-time steals leader in program history … National Honors Society member.
Drohan on Grudzielanek: "Riley is a hard-throwing, athletic pitcher who is a true competitor. We love how she attacks the zone and challenges hitters. We can't wait for our team to play behind her."
2025: Appeared in 25 games and made 19 starts as a sophomore … Finished with seven complete games, including a no-hitter … Posted a 2.94 ERA (14 ER/33.1 IP) in nine conference games this season, second on the team only to Lauren Boyd and seventh among all Big Ten pitchers … Scattered six hits and two earned runs over 6.0 innings against No. 15 Missouri (2/7) … Fired a complete-game against Southern Miss, allowing only two hits and one run in the longest appearance of her career (2/9) … Recorded two hits at the plate against LSU (2/14) … Allowed only one earned run in 5.0 innings and struck out two while picking up a win over UT Arlington (2/16) … Allowed just one run in 4.1 innings of work while striking out a career-high five batters in a win over Longwood (3/1) … Drove in a run at the plate in a win over Penn State (3/13) … Threw 5.1 innings in a win over Penn State, allowing only two runs and striking out five (3/15) … Fired a combined 7.2 innings in back-to-back wins over Michigan State, allowing just three hits and one run, while striking out seven (3/15-16) … Tossed a complete game to pick up a win over Minnesota, racking up four strikeouts and just three hits (3/28) … Allowed no earned runs in her sixth complete game of the season against Illinois (4/6) … Tossed 4.0 scoreless innings and allowed only one hit to beat Loyola Chicago (4/16) … Completed a no-hitter in a run-rule victory over UIC, racking up five strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work (4/22).
2024: Pitched in 18 games as a first-year … Finished with 31 strikeouts and a 3.46 ERA in 60.2 innings pitched … Finished with eight RBI and two homers on offense.
Career Highs
Innings Pitched............................................. 7.0 (3x), last vs. Illinois (4/6/25)
Strikeouts..................................................................... 11, vs. Illinois (4/6/25)
Fewest Hits Allowed (min. 5 IP)........................................ 0, at UIC (4/22/25)
Fewest Runs Allowed (min. 5 IP).......................................0, at UIC (4/22/25)
At-Bats............................................................................ 4, vs. LSU (2/16/24)
Hits.................................................................... 2 (2x), last vs. LSU (2/14/25)
Runs....................................................... 1 (6x), last vs. Penn State (3/15/25)
RBI.................................................................... 2 (2x), last vs. LSU (2/16/24)
Doubles..............................................................1 (2x), last vs. Duke (2/8/25)
Home Runs........................................................1 (2x), last vs. LSU (2/16/24)
Total Bases.................................................. 4 (2x), vs. last vs. LSU (2/16/24)
Walks...................................................... 2 (2x), last vs. Penn State (3/15/25)
High School: Three time First Team All-State Selection (2021, 2022, 2023) … 2021 Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Player of the Year … 2021 and 2022 All-Conference Pitcher of the Year … 2021 and 2022 First Team All-District and First-Team All-Conference … Set the Wisconsin state record with 22 strikeouts in a seven-inning game against Kenosha Bradford/Reuther on April 4, 2022 … Has thrown four no-hitters in two seasons of high school play … Holds Oak Creek High School's single-season home run record (9) and strikeout record (332) … Lettered three seasons in basketball and earned All-Conference Honorable Mention and team Defensive Player of the Year in 2020-21 … As a sophomore, hit .464 (49-for-84) with a .561 OBP and .881 slugging percentage, along with nine home runs, and 36 RBI in 27 games at the plate … Went 10-1 in the circle, compiling a 0.52 ERA, 0.65 WHIP, and 175 strikeouts in 81.1 innings pitched … In her junior season, tallied a.429 batting average (36-for-84), .500 OBP, .655 slugging percentage, five home runs, 23 RBI. And 13 runs scored, along with a 20-4 record in the circle, 0.51 ERA, and 332 strikeouts in 165 innings pitched … Played club softball for Velocity 18U National (2022), BATS Academy (2020-21) and Wisconsin Bandits (2019) … Uncle, Mark Grudzielanek, played 15 years in MLB for six teams, including the Chicago Cubs … Parents are Tom and Nikki Grudzielanek … Tom Played basketball for Carthage College, where he graduated as the all-time steals leader in program history … National Honors Society member.
Drohan on Grudzielanek: "Riley is a hard-throwing, athletic pitcher who is a true competitor. We love how she attacks the zone and challenges hitters. We can't wait for our team to play behind her."