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Story Headlines
- The Northwest Missouri State softball team split a pair of contests on day one of the NSIC/MIAA Crossover Friday.
- The Crossover, hosted by Winona State University, is being played inside the RCTC Dome on the campus of Rochester Community and Technical College in Rochester, Minn.
- Northwest dropped an extra inning pitchers' duel to Northern State in the first game of the day, 2-1.
- A pair of home runs helped the Bearcats take the nightcap from Upper Iowa, 6-4.
- The Bearcats are now 5-1 on the season, while the Wolves improved to 1-0 and the Peacocks fell to 3-3.
 

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Game One Key Statistics (Northwest loses to Northern State, 2-1, eight innings)
- The Bearcats stranded 10 runners on base, including runners in scoring position in four innings.
- Northwest recorded four hits and drew three walks, while the Wolves totaled six hits. Both squads committed one error.
- Kendle Schieber (2-1) threw her third complete game, scattering six hits over eight innings and giving up just one earned run, a leadoff home run in the top of the first. The senior held the Wolves' two through nine hitters to a .120 batting average (3-for-25).
- Madison Jones hit a pinch-hit home run in her only at bat, the seventh long ball in her career.
- Sophomore Rebecca Maher reached base twice with one single and one walk.
- Alexis Kelsey finished 1-for-3, also reaching base after being hit by a pitch.

Game One Key Innings
- Kelsey Gale led off the contest with a home run to left field for NSU. Schieber quickly settled in, giving up just two hits over the next 21 at bats.

- Northwest had runners reach base in every inning except the fourth and seventh.

- Jones tied things up at one when she came off the bench to send a solo shot over the fence in right center in the bottom of the fifth. Maher drew a walk two batters later before Kelsey slapped a single past the shortstop, but the rally was cut short.

- After Gale sent home the ITB runner with a double in the eighth, Northwest left runners at second and third in the bottom of the inning to seal the result.
 

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Game Two Key Statistics (Northwest beat Upper Iowa, 6-4)
- Sarah Baldwin (1-0) earned her first win of the season, surrendering four runs on nine hits over 6.1 innings of work. The senior struck out four batters.
- Senior Kendle Schieber picked up her third save of the year after recording the final two outs, tying the Bearcat record for most in a season. At the plate, Schieber finished 2-for-4 with two singles.
- Jessica Rawie drove in four RBIs with a grand slam in the fifth inning, finishing 1-for-4.
- Freshman Alexis Kelsey crushed her fifth home run of the season in her first at bat before drawing two walks, scoring two runs.
- Torri Blythe finished 2-for-4, stealing two bases and scoring one run.
- Kiana Baderdeen reached base twice, scoring two runs and swiping one base.
- Madison Jones and Baylee Scarbrough each added two singles.

Game Two Key Innings
- Northwest grabbed an early lead in the top of the first when Kelsey drilled a two-run home run to center, driving Baderdeen, who had reached on an error.

- Baldwin retired the Peacocks in order in the fourth, catching the third batter looking at strike three.

- Blythe led off the fifth with a single through the left side and promptly stole second and third. Back-to-back walks to Baderdeen and Kelsey loaded the bases and two batters later Rawie sent a 3-1 pitch over the fence in left, putting the Bearcats in front, 6-1.

- After the Peacocks scored two in the sixth and one in the seventh, Schieber came in to close things out with the tying run up to bat. The senior induced a pop up to second and a ground ball to first, securing the Bearcat victory.
 

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Up Next
- The Bearcats will continue play in the NSIC/MIAA Crossover with a rematch against Upper Iowa at 5 p.m. before a 7 p.m. contest against No. 10 Winona State Saturday in Rochester.