The Northwest Missouri State University softball team will travel to Bentonville, Ark., for the 2022 Alvy Early Classic Friday through Sunday.
 
The Bearcats (0-5 overall) will play five games this weekend. Friday's action will have Northwest matching up with Arkansas Monticello (11 a.m.) and Southeastern Oklahoma State (1 p.m.). The Bearcats will engage with Illinois-Springfield (11 a.m.) and Drury (1 p.m.) on Saturday. Sunday's slate will feature one game for the Bearcats against Southern Arkansas (11 a.m.).
 
Alvy Early Classic (Bentonville, Ark.)
Friday, Feb. 11
Northwest Missouri State vs. Arkansas Monticello, 11 a.m.
Northwest Missouri State vs. Southeastern Oklahoma State, 1 p.m.
 
Saturday, Feb. 12
Northwest Missouri State vs. Illinois-Springfield, 11 a.m.
Northwest Missouri State vs. Drury, 1 p.m.
 
Sunday, Feb. 13
Northwest Missouri State vs. Southern Arkansas, 11 a.m.
 
Northwest struggled to find its offense in its first weekend of play in Mankato, Minn., at the Portolite & Field Turf Minnesota State Invitational. In five games, the Bearcats produced four runs and hit .197 with an OPS of .489.
 
Sophomore Sophie Mayhugh (Overland Park, Kan.) tallied four hits in eight at-bats as she saw action in three games. Mayhugh batted .500 with a 1.375 OPS on the strength of a double and a triple. She was the only Bearcat to have two extra base hits on the weekend. Mayhugh and Abby Nolte were the only two Bearcats to have multi-hit games in Minnesota. Mayhugh, Madison Friest and Olivia Daugherty have all reached base in three consecutive games.
 
The Northwest pitching staff has an 8.06 team earned run average. Northwest pitchers struck out 31 batters, including a team-high 14 from Breck Dickey. Northwest opponents hit .395 and scored 35 runs in the five games in Minnesota.
 
The Bearcat defense made only three errors in 121 chances for a .975 fielding percentage.