PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Northwest Missouri State softball team split a doubleheader against the Pittsburg State Gorillas in Pittsburg, Kan.
 
Northwest moves to 25-23 overall and 8-14 in the MIAA.
 
Pittsburg State moves to 26-19 overall, 11-12 in league play.
 
GAME ONE
It wasn't until the third inning that a run was scored in game one of the doubleheader. Northwest was able to score its first run as Avery Anderson drew a walk with the bases loaded that allowed Lauren Gray to come home.
 
Heading into the fourth inning, the 'Cats led 1-0.
 
Northwest tallied another run in the fifth as Omara Love scored off an RBI single by Madison Friest.
 
The Bearcats kept it rolling in the fifth as the squad scored three more runs to get out to a 5-0 lead. Lillie Filger scored the first run of the inning courtesy of an Olivia Daugherty sacrifice fly. In the next at bat with one runner on, Abby Nolte smashed her sixth home run of the season to give Northwest its biggest advantage of the day.
 
Pittsburg State was able to score two runs in the bottom of the fifth to bring the score to 5-2 in favor of the 'Cats.
 
At the end of game one, Northwest came out victorious with the final score of 5-2.
 
The Bearcats outhit the Gorillas by two. Lillie Filger had a team-best two hits in the matchup.
 
Jadyn Streigle went the distance recording two strikeouts and allowing two runs on six hits.
 
GAME TWO
Pittsburg State hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the first to get out to a 2-0 lead in the second game of the doubleheader.
 
The Gorillas struck again in the bottom of the fifth as they increased their lead to 4-0.
 
Northwest managed to tie the game up in the top of the sixth after Omara Love singled up the middle scoring Avery Anderson, but the Bearcats brought in two more runs on an error by Pittsburg State to make the score 4-3. Skylar Pieper stepped up to the plate and hit a sacrifice fly that scored Love and knotted the game up at 4-4.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, the Gorillas regained the lead on a throwing error by Northwest. Two batters later PSU hit a double to right center that scored two Gorillas to give them a 7-4 lead.
 
Pitt State held onto that lead through the seventh inning to earn the game two win.
 
Northwest had seven hits in the game and Avery Anderson was the only Bearcat with two.
 
Breck Dickey went five innings striking out eight batters and allowing four runs on eight hits. Hayden Simmons finished the final inning giving up three runs on three hits.