The Northwest Missouri State softball team recorded its first win of the 2023 season as the Bearcats defeated Concordia St. Paul, 9-2.
 
Northwest now has a record of 1-2 overall.
 
Both squads were held scoreless through the first inning.
 
The Bearcats got on the board in the bottom of the second after Lela Bryant singled to right field to score Aubrey Griffith from second base, and advance Sophie Mayhugh to third base. During the next at bat, Lillie Filger hit a single that allowed Sophie Mayhugh to score. After two innings, Northwest led the Golden Bears, 2-0.
 
Through the top of the third, Northwest had given up just three hits. In the bottom of the inning, the 'Cats put up two more runs. Aubrey Griffith stepped up to the plate with Omara Love on second and Olivia Daugherty on third. Griffith sent the ball down the left field line to score both Daugherty and Love and give Northwest a 4-0 lead after three innings.
 
Raven Defrain continued with her strong start as she allowed no hits in the fourth inning.
 
The Bearcats got hot in the bottom of the fourth scoring four more runs. Northwest got its first three batters of the inning on base. Lela Bryant was hit by a pitch, Lillie Filger reached on an error, and Avery Anderson singled with a bunt to load the bases with Madison Friest next up to bat. Friest had a sacrifice fly to score Lela Bryant, leaving Anderson on second and Filger on third. Olivia Daugherty came up and drilled a home run that gave the Bearcats an 8-0 lead heading into the fifth inning.
 
Concordia St. Paul scored its first runs of the game in the top of the fifth as they hit a single with the bases loaded to bring in the first run. Then the Golden Bears scored their second run off a wild pitch.
 
After five innings, the Bearcats led 8-2.
 
Northwest gave up zero hits in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the inning, Omara Love got on base with a single. Skylar Pieper grounded out during the next at bat, but allowed Love to advance to second. Aubrey Griffith then hit a single to right field that allowed Love to score the ninth run of the day for the 'Cats.
 
The Golden Bears recorded one hit in the top of the sixth and were held scoreless in the inning.
 
The Bearcats secured their first victory of the season against Concordia St. Paul in a 9-2, seven inning win.
 
Raven Defrain got the win pitching as she went four innings and allowed five hits and two runs. Jadyn Streigle closed out the final three innings giving up two hits while recording two strikeouts.