Friday, April 19
No. 9 Pittsburg State at Northwest Missouri State, 2 p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS
No. 9 Pittsburg State at Northwest Missouri State, 4 p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
Saturday, April 20
Missouri Southern at Northwest Missouri State, Noon | WATCH | LIVE STATS
Missouri Southern at Northwest Missouri State, 2 p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
The Northwest Missouri State University softball team will play host to No. 9 Pittsburg State (Friday) and Missouri Southern (Saturday) while honoring its senior class as well.
 
The Bearcats will celebrate Senior Day following Saturday's MIAA doubleheader vs. Missouri Southern. Northwest will honor six seniors in Lela Bryant, Abby Nolte, Lauren Gray, Breck Dickey, Sophie Mayhugh and Hayden Simmons.
 
The Bearcats (20-22 overall, 9-9 MIAA) enter the week in a four-way tie for fifth place in the MIAA standings with Emporia State (12-12), Missouri Southern (9-9) and Missouri Western (9-9). 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 Pittsburg State Gorillas are ranked No. 9 in the nation with a 42-4 overall record and a 16-2 mark in the MIAA. The Gorillas have won 10 straight games heading into Friday's action in Maryville. Pittsburg State is one game out of first place in the MIAA standings – trailing Central Oklahoma (17-1 MIAA). Northwest owns a 43-39 lead in the all-time series with Pittsburg State. Northwest has won five of the last encounters with PSU.
 
Northwest will then battle Missouri Southern on Saturday beginning at noon. Missouri Southern is 28-15 overall and 9-9 in MIAA play. The Lions have lost six consecutive games heading into their Friday doubleheader at Missouri Western. MSSU leads the all-time series with Northwest, 65-59-1. The Lions have won eight of the last nine matchups with the Bearcats.
 
Head coach Naomi Tellez's team is batting .297 this season. Northwest is 18-5 when it out-hits the opposition and 1-14 when the opponents out-hit the Bearcats. Northwest is 15-1 when leading after six innings. Northwest is 18-3 when leading after four innings. The Bearcats are 15-1 when limiting the opponent to two runs or less. The Bearcats are 17-8 when scoring first.
 
Lillie Filger leads the squad and ranks No. 2 in the MIAA and No. 34 in the nation with a .452 batting average. Filger leads the Bearcats with 66 hits, 34 runs scored and 78 total bases. Filger ranks No. 2 in the MIAA in hits (66). She also leads the team with 21 multi-hit games this season. Filger is 38-of-68 (.559) this season when leading off an inning. Filger is 7-of-9 in stolen base attempts. Filger has tallied 17 of her hits with two outs in an inning. She has tallied a pair of four-hit games this season. Filger's 66 hits ties for the fifth-most in a single season by a Bearcat softball performer. Filger also tallied 66 hits in the 2023 season.
 
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)
    66, Lillie Filger (2024)
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)
 
Abby Nolte is batting .281 with 34 hits and 23 runs. She is tied for the team lead with seven home runs, which ranks tied for 10th in the MIAA. She has tallied a team-best tying 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 (5-of-11) 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)

Nolte has played in 202 career games, which ranks tied for the fifth-most in program history.

Most Games Played
1. Katy John (2003-2006) - 213
2. Ashley Pride (2003-2006) - 212
3. Janelle Krohn (2005-2008) - 204
4. Chantel Adams (2014-2017) - 203
5. Torri Blythe (2014-2017) - 202
    Abby Nolte (2020-pr.) - 202
7. Olivia Daugherty (2019-2023) - 201
8. Annie Melius (1985-1988) - 196
    Rebecca Maher (2015-2018) - 196
    Jessica Rawie (2015-2018) - 196

Nolte has also tallied 307 total bases in her Bearcat career. She ranks No. 9 in program history in total bases.

Most Total Bases
1. Kaitlyn Weis (2017-2021) - 456
2. Olivia Daugherty (2019-2023) - 413
3. Rebecca Maher (2015-18) - 351
4. Chantel Adams (2014-17) - 348
5. Erin Leslie (2007-2010) - 336
6. Angie McCoy (2001-2004) - 324
7. Ashley Pride (2003-2006) - 321
8. Hailee Hendricks (2010-2013) - 310
9. Abby Nolte (2020-pr.) - 307
10. Lindsay Stephenson (2003-2007) - 301
 
Skylar Pieper is batting .317 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 .296 with 29 hits, 18 runs scored. Gray is tied for the team lead in home runs (7) and RBI (27). Gray has posted a team-high eight multi-RBI games. She ranks second on the team with six doubles. Gray has seven 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 15 NCAA Div. II players to have hit three home runs in a game this season.
 
Sophie Mayhugh leads the Bearcats with 21 walks. She is tied for ninth in the MIAA for walks drawn. She is batting .238 with 20 hits and ranks fourth on the team with 21 RBI. Mayhugh has six multi-RBI games.
 
Avery Mayberry is batting .265 with 22 hits and nine runs scored. She has driven in nine as well. Mayberry has tallied five multi-hit games.
 
Sophomore pitcher Jadyn Streigle is 8-8 on the season with a 2.48 earned run average. She leads the team with eight complete games. She has made 15 starts and has struck out 38 batters in 93 innings.
 
Senior pitcher Hayden Simmons is 5-2 with a 2.93 earned run average. She has struck out a team-best 53 batters and allowed only 18 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 4.84 ERA. She has appeared in 13 games and has pitched 50 2/3 innings. She has struck out 38 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 5.14 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 (102) 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. 102, 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)