MARYVILLE, Mo. - The Northwest Missouri State University softball team knocked off the No. 6-ranked Minnesota State University Mavericks in a game shortened by darkness, 3-2.

Northwest (3-10 overall) capped its home weekend of play with a one-run win over the Mavericks.

The Bearcats and Mavericks met for the fourth game of the day at the Bearcat Softball Field with first pitch taking place at 4:16 p.m. Sunset was set for 6:01 p.m. so both teams knew they would battle darkness to finish the contest.

MSU struck first with a run in the first off Bearcat starter Christina Campbell. Campbell pitched the first two innings before bowing out and allowing Breck Dickey to pitch the rest of the contest.

Northwest drew even with MSu in the third on an RBI single to right center from Olivia Daugherty. Daugherty drove the ball to deep right with two outs and Jacee Winn, who was on first, raced around the bases for the tying run.

MSU notched a run off Dickey in the fourth to take a 2-1 advantage.

Northwest did its scoring damage in the fourth. Lauren Gray began the rally with a single through the left side. Abby Nolte followed with a ground ball to third resulting in a fielding error and putting runners on first and second. Brylee Kemper ran for Nolte. Madison Friest laid down a sacrifice bunt, but Gray beat the throw to third and Friest loaded the bases with a fielder's choice. Alexis Kump drove a single through the right side to even the game at 2-2 as Gray scampered home. Skyler Pieper hit a shot to third, but Kemper was out at the plate on a force play. Northwest scored the eventual winning run on what should have been a bloop single by Hannah Blackford. But Kemp was thrown at third as Avery Anderson scored the run to put Northwest on top, 3-2.

Dickey (2-4) worked out of a jam in the sixth with a single and walk by the Mavericks. Then she worked around another walk and single in the sixth before retiring the side. Following a strikeout to end the top of the sixth, the umpires determined it was too dark to continue and Northwest claimed the 3-2 victory.

Dickey pitched four innings and allowed five hits. She surrendered only one run and struck out eight.

MSU out-hit Northwest, 9-7.
 

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Earlier on Monday, Northwest dropped a 7-1 decision to Minnesota-Duluth.

Minnesota-Duluth starting pitcher Lauren Dixon held the Bearcats to a single hit in the contest.

Aubrey Griffith ripped a double just inside the bag at third to lead off the second. She moved over to third on a wild pitch. Following a Lauren Gray walk, Abby Nolte lifted a sac fly to right field that scored Griffith for Northwest's lone tally against the Bulldogs.

Dixon retired the final seven batters of the game, including the last three by strikeouts to preserve the 7-1 win for the visitors.

Hayden Simmons started the game in the circle for the Bearcats and went three innings. She gave up four hits and three runs (all earned). Simmons struck out five and walked one. Raven Defrain made her first appearance of the season and went four innings. She gave up seven hits and four runs while striking out one Bulldog batter.