Friday, April 12
Missouri Western at Northwest Missouri State, 2 p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS
Missouri Western at Northwest Missouri State, 4 p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
The Northwest Missouri State University softball squad will entertain the Missouri Western Griffons Friday in doubleheader action set to get underway at 2 p.m.
 
The Bearcats (19-21 overall, 8-8 MIAA) are in a four-way tie for sixth place in the MIAA standings with Emporia State (10-10), Central Missouri (9-9) and Missouri Western (8-8). The top 10 teams in the league will qualify for the 2024 MIAA Softball Tournament set for May 1-5 at Gerry Pinkston Stadium in Edmond, Okla.
 
The Griffons are 24-14 overall and 8-8 in MIAA play. The Griffons lead the all-time series against Northwest, 72-63. Northwest has won three consecutive games against the Griffons after having dropped the previous seven matchups before that.
 
Head coach Naomi Tellez's team is batting .303 this season. Northwest is 18-5 when it out-hits the opposition and 1-13 when the opponents out-hit the Bearcats. Northwest is 14-1 when leading after six innings. Northwest is 17-3 when leading after four innings. The Bearcats are 14-1 when liming the opponent to two runs or less. The Bearcats are 16-8 when scoring first.
 
Lillie Filger leads the squad and ranks No. 2 in the MIAA and No. 32 in the nation with a .450 batting average. Filger leads the Bearcats with 63 hits, 32 runs scored and 75 total bases. Filger ranks No. 2 in the MIAA in hits (63). She also leads the team with 20 multi-hit games this season. Filger is 35-of-64 (.547) this season when leading off an inning. She is tied for the team lead with four hits with the bases loaded. Filger is 7-of-9 in stolen base attempts. Filger has tallied 16 of her hits with two outs in an inning. She has tallied a pair of four-hit games this season. Filger's 63 hits ties for the 10th-most in a single season by a Bearcat softball performer.
 
Most Hits (Season)
1. 83, Kendra Smith (2000)
2. 76, Casey Carper (2008)
3. 73, Erin Leslie (2010)
4. 69, Torri Blythe (2016)
5. 66, Lillie Filger (2023)
6. 64, Rebecca Maher (2015)
    64, Stephanie Mark (2015)
    64, Katy John (2006)
    64, Katy John (2005)
10. 63, Rebecca Maher (2016)
    63, Kit Daugherty (2011)
    63, Lillie Filger (2024)
 
Abby Nolte is batting .287 with 33 hits and 23 runs. She is tied for the team lead with seven home runs, which ranks tied for ninth in the MIAA. She has tallied a team-best 27 RBI. Nolte is 10-of-13 (.769) with a runner on third and less than two outs. Nolte has posted a team-best five hits with the bases loaded. 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).
 
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 36 home runs and No. 6 in career RBI (129).
 
Most Home Runs (Career)
1. 56, Kaitlyn Weis (2017-2021)
2.  43, Olivia Daugherty (2019-2023)
3. 37, Ashley Pride (2003-2006)
4. 36, Abby Nolte (2020-pr.)
5. 27, Lindsay Stephenson (2003-2007)
    27, Chantel Adams (2014-2017)
7. 26, Megan Simpson (2006-2009)
8. 25, Stephanie Mark (2014-2015)
9. 24, Angie McCoy (2001-2004)
10. 23, Erin Keeney (2018-2020)
 
Most Runs Batted In (Career)
1. 191, Kaitlyn Weis (2017-2021)
2. 152, Olivia Daugherty (2019-2023)
3. 145, Chantel Adams (2014-2017)
4. 141, Rebecca Maher (2015-2018)
5. 135, Ashley Pride (2003-2006)
6. 129, Abby Nolte (2020-pr.)
7. 118, Erin Leslie (2007-2010)
8. 113, Megan Spring (2001-2004)
     113, Amanda Urquhart (1997-2000)
10. 109, Angie McCoy (2001-2004)
 
Skylar Pieper is batting .331 with 40 hits and ranks third on the team with 22 RBI. She is tied for the squad lead with 13 extra-base hits (7 doubles, 2 triples, 4 homers). Pieper has recorded a team-high 12 two-out RBI. She has posted 12 multi-hit games and six multi-RBI contests. Pieper is tied for third in the MIAA having been hit by seven pitches.
 
Lauren Gray is batting .293 with 27 hits, 18 runs scored. She has launched a team-best tying seven home runs and is second on the squad with 25 RBI. She ranks third on the team with six doubles. She is tied for the team lead with seven multi-RBI games. Gray has six multi-hit games this season. 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 13 NCAA Div. II players to have hit three home runs in a game this season.
 
Sophie Mayhugh leads the Bearcats with 20 walks. She is tied for ninth in the MIAA for walks drawn. She is batting .250 with 20 hits and ranks fourth on the team with 21 RBI. Mayhugh has six multi-RBI games.
 
Sophomore pitcher Jadyn Streigle is 7-8 on the season with a 2.69 earned run average. She leads the team with seven complete games. She has made 14 starts and has struck out 35 batters in 86 innings.
 
Senior pitcher Hayden Simmons is 5-1 with a 2.51 earned run average. She has struck out a team-high tying 48 batters and allowed only 14 earned runs. Simmons tossed a one-hit, eight-strikeout shutout of Wayne State. Simmons tied a career-high with eight punchouts and walked only one in her first shutout of the season.
 
Freshman pitcher Olivia Moyer has made seven starts and sits at 3-4 with a 5.14 ERA. She has appeared in 12 games and has pitched 47 2/3 innings. She has struck out 37 batters. Moyer tied her season-high with five strikeouts in a 5-2 win over Newman (March 22).
 
Senior pitcher Breck Dickey is 4-5 with a 4.99 ERA this season. She leads the squad with 48 strikeouts in 47 2/3 innings pitched. Dickey has tallied 33 career wins, which ranks tied for No. 9 in program history. Dickey ranks No. 2 on Northwest's all-time strikeout list with 411 career punchouts. Dickey also ranks No. 5 in appearances (101) and No. 8 in innings pitched (449.1). Dickey struck out a career-high 14 batters in a 4-1 win over Nebraska-Kearney.
 
Most Wins (Career)
1. 53, Michele Ansley (1997-2000)
2. 48, Jenna Creger (2010-2013)
3. 47, Cola Krueger (2006-2009)
4. 43, Shelly MacDonald (2002-2005)
5. 41, Kelly Morris (2006-2008)
6. 39, Shelley Lewis (1982-1985)
7. 37, Shelly McClure (1984-1987)
8. 35, Shelly Navara (1986-1987)
9. 33, Kendle Schieber (2015-2016)
    33, Breck Dickey (2020-pres.)
 
Most Strikeouts (Career)
1. 554, Jenna Creger (2010-2013)
2. 411, Breck Dickey (2020-pr.)
3. 368, Cola Krueger (2006-2009)
4. 320, Kelly Morris (2006-2008)
5. 302, Sarah Baldwin (2014-2016)
6. 285, Rachel Smith (2016-2020)
7. 255, Kendle Schieber (2015-2016)
8. 240, Michele Ansley (1997-2000)
9. 226, Jennifer Spencer (1995-1996)
10. 224, Shelly MacDonald (2002-2005)
 
Most Appearances (Career)
1. 135, Cola Krueger (2006-2009)
2. 112, Jenna Creger (2010-2013)
3. 105, Shelly MacDonald (2002-2005)
4. 101, Breck Dickey (2020-pres)
5. 94, Michele Ansley (1997-2000)
6. 89, Morgan Brunmeier (2010-2013)
7. 88, Christy Blankenau (1988-1991)
8. 87, Kelly Morris (2006-08)
9. 83, Abbie Vitosh (2012-2015)
10. 79, Cola Krueger (2008-2009)
 
Most Innings Pitched (Career)
1. 594.1, Cola Krueger (2006-2009)
2. 591.2, Jenna Creger (2010-2013)
3. 552.2, Michele Ansley (1997-2000)
4. 518.2, Shelly MacDonald (2002-2005)
5. 518.1, Shelly McClure (1984-1987)
6. 476.1, Christy Blankenau (1988-1991)
7. 449.1, Breck Dickey (2020-pr.)
8. 430.2, Shelly Lewis (1982-1985)
9. 416.1, Kristi Sweeney (1993-1996)
10. 405.1, Sarah Baldwin (2014-2016)