MANKATO, Minn. – The Northwest Missouri State softball team dropped a late-night matchup against Minnesota State, 3-2.
 
Northwest drops to 1-3 overall.
 
The first pitch of the night didn't come until after 11 p.m. in the Maverick All-Sports Dome.
 
Lillie Filger singled in Northwest's first at bat and then stole second as Avery Anderson was at the plate. Anderson recorded a sacrifice bunt to advance Filger to third, and Olivia Daugherty followed that with a single up the left side that scored Filger to give the 'Cats an early 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the first inning.
 
Hayden Simmons got the pitching start for Northwest and the defense went three up, three down to send it to the second inning. Simmons recorded her first strikeout of the night as the third batter went down swinging.
 
Lauren Gray tallied a walk in the top of the second but was the only Bearcat to get on base in the inning.
 
The 'Cats went three up, three down once again and Simmons got her second batter to strikeout swinging.
 
In the bottom of the third, Hayden Simmons gets the Mavericks first batter to go down swinging for the first out of the inning. MSU got its first hit of the night with a single up the middle. The Mavericks then sent in a pinch runner to steal second, but catcher Lauren Gray sent a laser to second base to get the runner out on the steal. The Bearcats got the next batter out on a fly out to end the inning.
 
Northwest remained on top, 1-0, as the game went to the top of the fourth.
 
Aubrey Griffith opened up the fourth with a single up the middle. Omara Love had a sacrifice bunt during the next at bar to advance Griffith to second base, but Northwest couldn't bring her home.
 
The Mavericks tied things up at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth with a solo shot to left field. It was just the second hit of the night that Simmons had given up. Breck Dickey took over the pitching for Northwest after the homer. Simmons faced 10 batters, gave up two hits, and had three strikeouts during her performance.
 
With one out in the bottom of the fourth and a runner on first, the Bearcats turned a double play to close out the inning.
 
Lauren Gray sent one up the middle to get the first Bearcat batter on base in the top of the fifth. Alexis Brown came in to pinch run for Gray. With a full count, Lela Bryant smoked a ball to center field that scored Brown. Bryant was called out trying to get to third base for the first out of the inning. The next two Bearcats grounded out to second to send it to the bottom of the fifth.
 
The first Maverick batter of the inning singled with a bunt, but Breck Dickey came right back and recorded her first strikeout of the night. Lauren Gray then caught another runner trying to steal second and threw a dart to the shortstop to tag her for the second out of the inning. Dickey struck out the next batter as she went down swinging.
 
Heading into the sixth, the Bearcats led MSU, 2-1.
 
Olivia Daugherty opened the top of the sixth with a walk, and then Cora Schweitzer was sent in as Daugherty's pinch runner. In the next at bat Aubrey Griffith hit one right over the pitcher's head, but the second baseman was there to get the force out on Schweitzer at second. Omara Love stepped up and singled to left field which allowed Griffith to advance to second. Abby Nolte was sent in to pinch hit for Skylar Pieper and she loaded the bases up with a walk. Northwest ended the inning with a pop up to the catcher followed by a strikeout to send it to the bottom of the sixth.
 
The Mavericks first two batters got on base with an error and a walk. Both runners then advanced to second and third base off a wild pitch with no outs on the board for the 'Cats. The next batter hit one up the left field line that caught the third base runner in a pickle and was eventually called out. MSU tied the game up once again with a sacrifice fly to right field that brought in a run. The Bearcats closed out the inning with no further damage done.
 
Heading into the seventh inning, the teams were knotted up at 2-2.
 
The Bearcats went three up, three down in the top of the seventh.
 
MSU hit a single to right field in its first at bat of the inning for the Mavericks. The runner then stole second to put MSU in scoring position with zero outs. It was all the Mavericks needed as they hit a walk off to center field that scored the runner from second.
 
Minnesota State defeated Northwest, 3-2.
 
Six different Bearcats recorded hits in the contest.
 
Breck Dickey is tagged with the loss. Dickey had two strikeouts on the night and gave up three hits and two runs.
 
The Bearcats take nearly two weeks off before returning to play Feb. 17 against Missouri-St. Louis and Minnesota State in Emporia, Kan.