Story Headlines- The Bearcat softball team used a pair of complete game shutouts to sweep MIAA-leading Pittsburg State Friday afternoon at Bearcat Softball Field in Maryville.
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Madison Jones knocked in the winning run in the ninth inning of game one, helping the Bearcats to a 1-0 victory.
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Sarah Baldwin tossed her second-straight complete game shutout in the 3-0 game two victory.
- Northwest improves to 31-9 this season and 15-5 in conference play, while the Gorillas fall to 33-12 overall and 17-3 in the MIAA.
- The Bearcats secured the sixth 30-win season in program history, doing so in 39 games, the fewest needed to reach 30 wins in team history (2006, 41 wins).
- The Northwest pitching staff extended its current scoreless inning streak to 24 innings, the longest such streak since at least 2004.
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Game One Key Statistics (Northwest 1, Pittsburg State 0, nine innings)
- Northwest improved to 3-2 in extra inning contests on the season.
- Pitt State outhit the Bearcats, 6-0, but the visitors committed four errors while Northwest did not record an error.
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Kendle Schieber (17-4) held the potent Gorilla offense scoreless through nine innings of work, striking out two hitters and allowing just eight hits. The senior retired 13-straight batters at one points, allowing just one PSU runner to reach third base.
- Senior
Madison Jones connected with a pair of base hits, including driving in the game-winning run in the ninth.
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Chantel Adams reached base twice, scoring the lone run of the contest after singling in the ninth.
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Torri Blythe and
Jaedra Moses both reached on singles in the sixth inning, finishing 1-for-4.
Game One Key Innings- After surrendering singles to the first to hitters in the game, Schieber retired three in a row to get out of a jam in the first, starting a streak of 13 straight batters retired by the senior.
- Northwest loaded the bases in the sixth inning with singles from Blythe and Moses and a walk to Adams, but
Jessica Rawie's frozen rope that seemed destined for the left field corner was snagged by a leaping third baseman.
- Adams opened the ninth with a solid single to right before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Rawie bunted her to third base, setting the stage for Jones. With two outs, the senior clubbed an 0-1 pitch over the left fielder's head, driving in Adams and handing Northwest its fifth walk-off win of the season.
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Game Two Key Statistics (Northwest 3, Pittsburg State 0)
- Northwest scored its three runs on 10 hits and two PSU errors. The Bearcats did not commit an error in the contest.
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Sarah Baldwin (8-4) tossed seven scoreless innings, striking out six Gorilla batters and giving up seven hits.
- Shortstop
Rebecca Maher drove in a pair of runs with a single in her final at bat, finishing 1-for-4.
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Kendle Schieber reached base in all three at bats, driving in the winning run.
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Madison Jones singled twice and scored one run.
- Second baseman
Torri Blythe finished 2-for-4, scoring one run.
- Freshman
Alexis Kelsey reached base three times, singling twice with one run scored.
Game Two Key Statistics- Kelsey led off the home half of the second with a solid single to left.
Chantel Adams laid down a sacrifice bunt to third, but the Gorilla second baseman dropped the throw at first. Another error on
Jessica Rawie's routine grounder to shortstop loaded the bases for Schieber, who drew a four-pitch walk to score Kelsey and hand Northwest a 1-0 lead.
- The Bearcats added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth after Jones sent a single to shallow left. Blythe legged out an infield single to short two batters later before Moses sent a slow roller to the pitcher. The Gorilla defender turned towards third, but no one was covering, loading the bases for Maher. The sophomore shortstop lined a frozen rope single to left, scoring a pair and extending the Northwest lead to 3-0.
- After the first two batters reached base, Baldwin forced a strikeout and a pair of groundouts to secure the victory in the seventh.
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Up Next- The Bearcats will wrap up their home schedule tomorrow, April 9 when they host Missouri Southern at noon. The team will honor its three seniors before first pitch.
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