TOPEKA, Kan. – The Northwest Missouri State softball team dropped an 8-2 decision against Wayne State in its first game of the Washburn Invitational.
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The Bearcats drop to 6-5 overall with the loss.
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Wayne State posted three first-inning runs before
Breck Dickey struck out three of the next four batters to send it to the second inning.
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Abby Nolte doubled down the right field line and
Omara Love followed Nolte with a single up the middle, but Northwest couldn't get the runners across the plate in the second. In the bottom of the inning, WSC added another run to take a 4-0 lead.
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Lillie Filger singled through the left side in the top of the third, but it was the lone Bearcat hit in the inning.
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Omara Love singled to the pitcher in the top of the fourth, but Northwest couldn't get anyone else on base.
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In the top of the fifth,
Skylar Pieper hit a double to right center and two batters later
Hannah Blackford reached on a fielding error that allowed Pieper to advance to third. In the next Bearcat at bat,
Abby Nolte singled to the pitcher which sent Pieper home for the first Northwest run of the day.
Omara Love continued the inning with a single to right field that loaded the bases.
Sophie Mayhugh reached on another fielding error that sent Blackford home to bring the score to 5-2 in favor of Wayne State.
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The Wildcats tallied three more runs in the bottom of the fifth as they increased their lead to 8-2 heading into the sixth.
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Lillie Filger had the only Bearcat hit in the sixth with a single to pitcher.
Jadyn Streigle gave up zero hits in the bottom of the inning as the teams headed to the seventh.
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Omara Love and
Lela Bryant each recorded hits in the seventh inning but neither were brought home. Love singled to the shortstop and Bryant singled through the left side.
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Breck Dickey was tabbed with the loss as Wayne State defeated Northwest, 8-2. Dickey tallied three strikeouts.
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Omara Love was 4-for-4 at the plate, and
Abby Nolte and
Lillie Filger were the only other Bearcats to record more than one hit as they each had two.
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Northwest will face Southwest Minnesota State tonight at 6:00 p.m. at Lake Shawnee South Field.
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