Thursday, May 2 – Edmond, Okla. (MIAA Tournament)
Northwest Missouri State vs. Washburn, 1:30 p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
Friday, May 3 – Edmond, Okla. (MIAA Tournament)
Semifinal Game #1, Noon | WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
Saturday, May 4 – Edmond, Okla. (MIAA Tournament)
Championship Game, Noon | WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
The Northwest Missouri State University softball team is taking part in the MIAA Tournament for the first time since the 2018 season.
 
The 2024 MIAA Softball Tournament is being played at Gerry Pinkston Stadium in Edmond, Okla.
 
The No. 5-seeded Bearcats (28-24 overall, 15-11 MIAA) will take on No. 4-seeded Washburn (36-14, 17-9 MIAA) in the second MIAA tourney quarterfinal on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. The first semifinal is set for Saturday at noon and the title game will be Sunday at noon.
 
Washburn scored a pair of wins over Northwest this season in Topeka, Kan., on March 29. The Ichabods tallied victories of 3-1 and -0 against the Bearcats.
 
Northwest is looking for the program's first MIAA Tournament title. Northwest's only two regular season MIAA crowns came in 1984 and 1999.
 
The Bearcats had their eight-game winning streak snapped in the final contest of the regular season last Saturday against the Central Missouri Jennies.
 
Head coach Naomi Tellez's team is batting .298 this season. Northwest is 25-6 when it out-hits the opposition and 2-15 when the opponents out-hit the Bearcats. Northwest is 22-1 when leading after six innings. Northwest is 25-3 when leading after four innings. The Bearcats are 22-1 when limiting the opponent to two runs or less. The Bearcats are 24-8 when scoring first.
 
Lillie Filger, a second-team all-MIAA performer and Gold Glove Team member, leads the squad and ranks No. 2 in the MIAA and No. 35 in the nation with a .439 batting average. Filger leads the Bearcats with 79 hits, 39 runs scored and 92 total bases. Filger ranks No. 2 in the MIAA in hits (79). She also leads the team with 25 multi-hit games. Filger is 45-of-86 (.523) this season when leading off an inning. Filger is 7-of-9 in stolen base attempts. Filger has tallied 18 of her hits with two outs in an inning. She has tallied a pair of four-hit games and 10 games of three hits or more this season. Filger's 79 hits ranks second-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. 79, Lillie Filger (2024)
3. 76, Casey Carper (2008)
4. 73, Erin Leslie (2010)
5. 69, Torri Blythe (2016)
6. 66, Lillie Filger (2023)
7. 64, Rebecca Maher (2015)
    64, Stephanie Mark (2015)
    64, Katy John (2006)
    64, Katy John (2005)

Skylar Pieper, an honorable mention all-MIAA player, is batting .310 with 48 hits and ranks fifth on the team with 23 RBI. She leads the team with 16 extra-base hits (19 doubles, 2 triples, 4 homers). Pieper has produced 12 two-out RBI. She has posted 15 multi-hit games and six multi-RBI contests. Pieper is tied for fourth in the MIAA having been hit by eight pitches.
 
Abby Nolte is batting .294 with 45 hits and 29 runs. She leads the squad with eight home runs, which ranks tied for eighth in the MIAA. She has tallied a team-best tying 32 RBI. Nolte is 12-of-16 (.750) with a runner on third and less than two outs. Nolte has posted a team-best six hits (6-of-12) 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 T-No. 3 in Bearcat history with 37 home runs and No. 6 in career RBI (134).
 
Most Home Runs (Career)
1. 56, Kaitlyn Weis (2017-2021)
2. 43, Olivia Daugherty (2019-2023)
3. 37, Ashley Pride (2003-2006)
    37, 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. 134, 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 212 career games (208 career starts), which ranks tied for second-most games played in program history.

Most Games Played
1. Katy John (2003-2006) - 213
2. Ashley Pride (2003-2006) - 212
    Abby Nolte (2020-pr.) - 212
4. Janelle Krohn (2005-2008) - 204
5. Chantel Adams (2014-2017) - 203
6. Torri Blythe (2014-2017) - 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 324 total bases in her Bearcat career. She ranks T-No. 6 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
    Abby Nolte (2020-pr.) – 324
8. Ashley Pride (2003-2006) - 321
9. Hailee Hendricks (2010-2013) - 310
10. Lindsay Stephenson (2003-2007) - 301
  
Lauren Gray enters the MIAA Tournament riding a six-game hitting streak. Gray is batting .297 with 38 hits, 20 runs scored. Gray is tied for the team lead in RBI (32). Gray is second on the team in homers (7). Gray has posted a team-high nine multi-RBI games. She ranks second on the team with eight doubles. Gray has nine 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 19 NCAA Div. II players to have hit three home runs in a game this season.
 
Sophie Mayhugh leads the Bearcats with 22 walks. She is batting .255 with 28 hits and ranks fourth on the team with 25 RBI. Mayhugh has seven 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.
 
Annie Gahan is hitting .262 with 28 hits and 27 RBI. Gahan leads the team with 13 two-out RBI. Gahan hit .290 in MIAA play with18 hits in 61 at-bats.
 
Omara Love is batting .348 with 31 hits and 14 runs scored. She is 4-of-5 in stolen bases. She has posted seven multi-hit games. Love has reached base in 12 consecutive games entering the MIAA Tournament.
 
Sophomore pitcher Jadyn Streigle is 10-9 on the season with a 2.33 earned run average. She leads the team with 11 complete games. She has made 19 starts and has struck out 45 batters in 117 innings.
 
Senior pitcher Hayden Simmons is 6-3 with a 2.42 earned run average. She has struck out 62 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 eight starts and sits at 5-4 with a 3.97 ERA. She has appeared in 15 games and has pitched 61 2/3 innings. She has struck out 47 batters.
 
Senior pitcher Breck Dickey is 7-5 with a 4.05 ERA this season. She leads the squad with 63 strikeouts in 67 1/3 innings pitched. Dickey has tallied 36 career wins, which ranks No. 8 in program history. Dickey ranks No. 2 on Northwest's all-time strikeout list with 426 career punchouts. Dickey also ranks No. 3 in appearances (107) and No. 7 in innings pitched (469.0). Dickey struck out a career-high 14 batters in a 4-1 win over Nebraska-Kearney.
 
Dickey earned MIAA Pitcher of the Week honors on April 22. Dickey threw a two-hit shutout vs. No. 9-ranked Pittsburg State and then followed it up with a nine-out save Saturday in a victory over Missouri Southern. Dickey pitched 10 innings with a 0.00 ERA. She allowed two hits and struck out nine batters in two appearances as Northwest went 3-1 on the weekend. She is the only MIAA pitcher to hurl a shutout this season against the Gorillas.
 
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. 36, Breck Dickey (2020-pres.)
9. 35, Shelly Navara (1986-1987)
10. 33, Kendle Schieber (2015-2016)
 
Most Strikeouts (Career)
1. 554, Jenna Creger (2010-2013)
2. 426, 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. 107, Breck Dickey (2020-pres)
4. 105, Shelly MacDonald (2002-2005)
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. 469.0, 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)