MARYVILLE, Mo. - On a blustery day at Bearcat Field, the Northwest Missouri State University softball squad put up a pair of wins over the Northeastern State University RiverHawks.

Northwest took the opener in five innings, 9-1, and then took care of business in the second game in six innings, 10-2.

The Bearcats hit four home runs in the doubleheader and improved to 19-21 overall and 8-8 in MIAA play. Northeastern State fell to 7-28 overall and 2-16 in league action.

GAME ONE
Northwest pounded out 11 hits en route to a 9-1, five-inning victory to start the doubleheader.

Northwest put up a five-run first against Northeastern State to open up some breathing room. After Lillie Filger led off with a groundout, the next five batters singled and all told, the next eight Bearcat hitters reached base. Northwest tallied six hits in the first and led 5-0.

Northwest added two more runs in the third when Avery Mayberry and Sophie Mayhugh led off the innings with walks. Mayberry scored on a sac fly from Annie Gahan and Mayhugh crossed on a fielder's choice in Filger's at bat.

Abby Nolte launched her sixth home run of the season with a two-run blast to left that plated Lauren Gray and gave Northwest a 9-1 advantage in the fourth.

Bearcat starting pitcher Jadyn Streigle tossed a complete game and allowed one run on six hits. Streigle struck out one RiverHawk batter to improve to 7-8 on the season.

GAME TWO
Northwest hammered three homers in game two and Hayden Simmons took a shutout into the sixth in a 10-2, six-inning Bearcat victory.

Northwest took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Nolte drew a leadoff walk and scored on a single from Gahan. Gaige Pinkerton singled and scored on a bases-loaded walk by Filger.

The Bearcats took the long-ball approach in the fifth. Gahan ripped her second home run of the season to lead off the fifth. Gray lifted a two-out, two-run homer to left that just cleared the fence to put Northwest on top, 5-0. Nolte followed with a solo homer for back-to-back jacks that gave Northwest a 6-0 advantage. 

Simmons worked five shutout innings, before the RiverHawks hit back-to-back one-out home runs off her in the sixth. Head coach Naomi Tellez lifted Simmons for reliever Breck Dickey. Dickey worked the final 2/3 of the sixth by not allowing a hit.

Northwest put together a four-run rally in the sixth to close out the 10-2 victory. Omara Love drew a bases-loaded walk to score Cora Schweitzer, who had pinch run for Lela Bryant. Skylar Pieper was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Gahan and give Northwest an 8-2 lead. Nolte delivered a walk-off, two-run single to left-center to give the Bearcats a run-rule win.

Simmons got the win to move to 5-1. Simmons allowed three hits and two runs in 5 1/3 innings pitched. She struck out eight RiverHawk batters.

The Bearcats will return to action Friday at home against Missouri Western. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at the Bearcat Softball Field.