KEARNEY, Neb. – The Northwest Missouri State softball team dropped both games of its doubleheader with Nebraska-Kearney Sunday afternoon.
 
The Bearcats are now 13-9 overall and 1-3 in league play.
 
The Lopers move to 11-13 overall and 2-0 in MIAA action.
 
GAME ONE
Northwest got things started after Olivia Daugherty doubled to center field that allowed Skylar Pieper to cross the plate and give the Bearcats a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
 
It was all Kearney in the second inning. The Lopers posted seven runs in the inning off four hits and one Northwest error.
 
The 'Cats got things back on track in the fourth inning courtesy of a Lauren Gray grand slam over the left field fence that also brought home Abby Nolte, Omara Love, and Lela Bryant. After the grand slam, Northwest had cut the Loper lead down to two at 7-5.
 
The Bearcats got back on top in the top of the fifth as they scored six runs. It started with Daugherty hitting a single to left field which scored Pieper from second. Brylee Kemper came in to pinch run for Daugherty, and then the following eight Bearcat batters were able to get on base.
 
The next two at bats were back-to-back singles from Nolte and Love. Bryant stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and punched a single to center field that allowed Kemper to score and tie it up at 7-7. Gray was next up and hit a two RBI double that brought in Nolte and Love. Avery Anderson kept it rolling with a single down the left field line bringing Bryant across the plate and increasing the Northwest lead to 10-7. Lillie Filger then reached first on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt that loaded the bases once again. Pieper then drew a walk which meant Gray was able to come home and give the 'Cats the 11-7 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth.
 
The Lopers figured they would outdo Northwest's six runs in the top of the inning by tallying nine runs in the bottom of the inning. Nebraska-Kearney got its first runs of the inning on a two RBI single, but it scored another run on a throwing error which brought the Lopers within one at 11-10. They scored one more run on a sacrifice fly before the 'Cats gave up a grand slam followed by a solo home run to give Kearney the lead again at 16-11.
 
Northwest tallied one run in the sixth as Filger drew a walk with the bases loaded that allowed Nolte to score.
 
The Bearcats couldn't scratch any runs across in the seventh as Nebraska-Kearney got the 16-12 victory.
 
Both squads had 13 hits in game one. Abby Nolte was 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs. The quartet of Skylar Pieper, Omara Love, Lela Bryant, and Lauren Gray all had two hits in the matchup. Gray led the way with six RBIs.
 
Raven Defrain was tagged with the loss, pitching 2.2 innings allowing seven runs on six hits and striking out two batters. Breck Dickey went 2.0 innings giving up five runs on seven hits while recording two strikeouts.
 
GAME TWO
Northwest was the first to strike in game two as the team recorded two runs in the first inning. Olivia Daugherty walked with the bases loaded so Skylar Pieper was able to score the first run for the Bearcats. Avery Anderson scored the second Northwest run on a dropped ball to give Northwest a 2-0 lead.
 
The Lopers didn't tack on a run until the third inning when they posted one run.
 
Kearney scored the team's final nine runs in the fifth inning to bring the final score to 10-2 in five innings.
 
Jadyn Streigle was tagged with the loss going 4.1 innings allowing 11 hits, seven runs, and adding four strikeouts.
 
The Lopers gave up seven walks to the Bearcats as well as four hits. Skyler Pieper led the team with two hits while Avery Anderson and Omara Love both had one.