Friday, Feb. 23
Northwest Missouri State vs. St. Cloud State, 4 p.m. (Shawnee Lake Field 1)
 
Saturday, Feb. 24
Northwest Missouri State vs. Winona State, 2 p.m. (Shawnee Lake Field 3)
Northwest Missouri State vs. Southwest Baptist, 4 p.m. (Shawnee Lake Field 3)
 
Sunday, Feb. 25
Northwest Missouri State vs. Augustana, 10 a.m. (Shawnee Lake Field 2)
Northwest Missouri State vs. Minnesota-Crookston, 2 p.m. (Shawnee Lake Field 1)
 
After a weekend off, the Northwest Missouri State University softball team will return to action this Friday through Sunday at the Washburn Invitational in Topeka, Kan.
 
The Bearcats will play five games in three days. Northwest will take on St. Cloud State on Friday at 4 p.m. Northwest will play a pair of games on Saturday against Winona State (2 p.m.) and Southwest Baptist (4 p.m.). Northwest will wrap up play Sunday with contests against Augustana (10 a.m.) and Minnesota-Crookston (2 p.m.).
 
Northwest sits at 5-4 and is riding a two-game winning streak heading into this weekend's slate of games. Northwest closed out the Mustang Round Up in Wichita Falls, Texas, with victories over Southwestern Oklahoma State and Midwestern State.
 
The Bearcats have jumped out early on the majority of its competition. The Bearcats own a 13-5 scoring edge in the first inning of games. The Bearcats are 5-1 when they out-hit the competition. Northwest is 5-1 when leading after four innings this season.
 
Head coach Naomi Tellez's squad ranks No. 9 in the nation and leads the MIAA in on-base percentage (.454). Northwest leads the MIAA in scoring by averaging 7.22 runs per game. Northwest ranks No. 21 in the nation in scoring per game.
 
The Bearcats rank second in the MIAA in batting average (.347). Northwest has tallied 92 hits in 265 at-bats. Northwest is one of two MIAA teams to have not been caught stealing this season with 11 stolen bases in 11 attempts. Washburn is 14-of-14 in stolen base attempts.
 
Lillie Filger ranks No. 9 in the MIAA in batting average (.471). Filger is tied for fourth in the MIAA in runs scored (14). She is tied for fifth in the MIAA in hits (16). Filger leads the team with five multi-hit games, which included a four-hit contest vs. Ouachita Baptist (Feb. 2). Filger is batting .727 when leading off an inning by going 8-of-11 at the plate. She is tied for the team lead with five two-out hits.
 
Lauren Gray ranks tied for No. 2 in the MIAA in home runs (3). She is tied for third in the league in RBI (15). She ranks No. 8 in the league in slugging percentage (.800). Gray ranks No. 10 in the league in OPS (1.286). Gray has reached base in six straight games. Gray became the first Bearcat to hit three home runs in a game when she launched three in the season-opening win over Ouachita Baptist. Gray hit two solo homers and a grand slam against the Tigers. She is one of two NCAA Div. II players to have hit three home runs in a game this season, joining Francis Marion's Taylor Watford.
 
Skylar Pieper ranks No. 5 in the MIAA in OPS (1.411) and No. 6 in the MIAA in on-base percentage (.611). She is tied for No. 8 in the league in slugging percentage (.800). Pieper's eight walks is tied for the fourth-most in the MIAA. Pieper has reached base in all nine games this season. Pieper is 5-of-7 when leading off an inning.
 
Alexis Brown leads the team with nine hits with runners on base.
 
Abby Nolte tied the Bearcat single-game record in RBI with seven at Henderson State. Nolte tied a mark set by Annie Melius (vs. Washburn – April 28, 1987), and Abigail Gilson (vs. Central Missouri – April 27, 2017). She is one of four NCAA Div. II players with seven RBI in a game this season.
 
Most Runs Batted In (Single-Game)
7, Annie Melius vs. Washburn (4/28/87)
7, Abigail Gilson vs. Central Missouri (4/27/17)
7, Abby Nolte at Henderson State (2/4/24)
 
Nolte ranks No. 4 in Bearcat history with 31 home runs. Nolte hit a pair of home runs this weekend, including a grand slam at Henderson State (Feb. 4). Nolte has racked up 114 career RBI to rank No. 7 in program history.
 
Most Home Runs (Career)
1. Kaitlyn Weis (2017-2021) - 56
2. Olivia Daugherty (2019-2023) - 43
3. Ashley Pride (2003-2006) - 37
4. Abby Nolte (2020-pr.) - 31
5. Lindsay Stephenson (2003-2007) - 27
    Chantel Adams (2014-2017) - 27
7. Megan Simpson (2006-2009) - 26
8. Stephanie Mark (2014-2015) - 25
9. Angie McCoy (2001-2004) - 24
10. Erin Keeney (2018-2020) – 23
 
Most Runs Batted In (Career)
1. Kaitlyn Weis (2017-2021) - 191
2. Olivia Daugherty (2019-2023) - 152
3. Chantel Adams (2014-2017) - 145
4. Rebecca Maher (2015-2018) - 141
5. Ashley Pride (2003-2006) - 135
6. Erin Leslie (2007-2010) - 118
7. Abby Nolte (2020-pr.) – 114
8. Megan Spring (2001-2004) - 113
    Amanda Urquhart (1997-2000) – 113
10. Angie McCoy (2001-2004) - 109
 
Senior Breck Dickey has tallied 30 career wins, which ranks tied for the 10th-most in program history. Dickey ranks No. 2 on Northwest's all-time strikeout list with 377 career punchouts. Dickey also ranks No. 5 in appearances (93) and No. 9 in innings pitched (416 2/3).
 
Most Wins (Career)
1. Michele Ansley (1997-2000) - 53
2. Jenna Creger (2010-2013) - 48
3. Cola Krueger (2006-2009) - 47
4. Shelly MacDonald (2002-2005) - 43
5. Kelly Morris (2006-2008) - 41
6. Shelley Lewis (1982-1985) - 39
7. Shelly McClure (1984-1987) - 37
8. Shelly Navara (1986-1987) - 35
9. Kendle Schieber (2015-2016) - 33
10. Sarah Baldwin (2014-2016) - 30
      Breck Dickey (2020-pres.) - 30
 
Most Strikeouts (Career)
1. Jenna Creger (2010-2013) - 554
2. Breck Dickey (2020-pr.) - 377
3. Cola Krueger (2006-2009) - 368
4. Kelly Morris (2006-2008) - 320
5. Sarah Baldwin (2014-2016) - 302
6. Rachel Smith (2016-2020) - 285
7. Kendle Schieber (2015-2016) - 255
8. Michele Ansley (1997-2000) - 240
9. Jennifer Spencer (1995-1996) - 226
10. Shelly MacDonald (2002-2005) – 224
 
Most Appearances (Career)
1. Cola Krueger (2006-2009) - 135
2. Jenna Creger (2010-2013) - 112
3. Shelly MacDonald (2002-2005) - 105
4. Michele Ansley (1997-2000) - 94
5. Breck Dickey (2020-pres) - 93
6. Morgan Brunmeier (2010-2013) - 89
7. Christy Blankenau (1988-1991) - 88
8. Kelly Morris (2006-08) - 87
9. Abbie Vitosh (2012-2015) - 83
10. Cola Krueger (2008-2009) – 79
 
Most Innings Pitched (Career)
1. Cola Krueger (2006-2009) - 594.1
2. Jenna Creger (2010-2013) - 591.2
3. Michele Ansley (1997-2000) - 552.2
4. Shelly MacDonald (2002-2005) - 518.2
5. Shelly McClure (1984-1987) - 518.1
6. Christy Blankenau (1988-1991) - 476.1
7. Kristi Sweeney (1993-1996) - 416.1
8. Shelly Lewis (1982-1985) - 430.2
9. Breck Dickey (2020-pr.) - 416.2
10. Sarah Baldwin (2014-2016) - 405.1