Friday, Feb. 7 – Bentonville, Ark. (Alvy Early Classic)
Northwest Missouri State vs. Southeastern Oklahoma State, 11 a.m.
Northwest Missouri State vs. Illinois-Springfield, 1:30 p.m.
 
Saturday, Feb. 8 – Bentonville, Ark. (Alvy Early Classic)
Northwest Missouri State vs. Upper Iowa, 11 a.m.
Northwest Missouri State vs. Arkansas Tech, 1:30 p.m.
 
The Northwest Missouri State University softball squad will return to the state of Arkansas this week to take part in the Alvy Early Classic in Bentonville, Ark.
 
This week the Bearcats will tangle with Southeastern Oklahoma State (3-2 overall), Illinois-Springfield (3-1 overall), Upper Iowa (0-5 overall) and Arkansas Tech (4-1 overall).
 
The Bearcats opened the season with a 2-3 mark at the Hawkins-McGhee Memorial Tournament in Arkadelphia, Ark., last weekend. Northwest picked up wins over Missouri S&T (W, 7-1) and at Henderson State (W, 3-1).
 
Northwest ranks No. 7 in the nation and best in the MIAA in fielding percentage (.993). Northwest has committed one error in 144 chances.
 
Senior Skylar Pieper leads the squad with a .500 batting average with six hits in 12 at-bats and a team-best four stolen bases. Pieper hit her seventh career home run in a win over Missouri S&T. Pieper stole two bases against Christian Brothers. Pieper reached base in all five games in Arkadelphia. Pieper had two multi-hit games to give her 33 career multi-hit contests. Pieper is 3-for-4 with runners in scoring position.
 
Senior outfielder Lillie Filger recorded seven hits and batted .389 in the five games in Arkadelphia. Filger reached base in all five games. She has scored a team-high five runs. Filger began the season with a three-hit performance against Ouachita Baptist. Filger has produced 14 three-hit games in her Bearcat career. She is credited with 50 multi-hit contests as a Bearcat. Filger has tallied 153 career hits with a career average of .403 in 109 games in a Northwest uniform.
 
Junior outfielder Alexis Brown returned from a knee injury that sidelined her for most of the 2024 season with a strong start to the 2025 campaign. Brown produced seven hits in 19 at-bats (.368 average). She had a three-hit game in a win over Missouri S&T for her fourth career three-hit performance. Brown has collected 15 career multi-hit games.
 
Junior outfielder Omara Love began her season with hits in all five games and a .389 batting average. Love leads the team in hits (7), two-out hits (4), RBI (5), doubles (2), triples (2) and slugging percentage (.722). She did not strike out in 18 at-bats in the Hawkins-McGhee Memorial Tournament. Love has produced 21 multi-hit games in her career and five games of three hits or more. Love went 3-for-3 with two RBI in Sunday's finale at Henderson State.
 
Sophomore Timber Wilson made her first collegiate hit count as she clocked a three-run home run in the season-opener at Ouachita Baptist. Wilson had five at-bats in 2024 but did not record a hit. Wilson is 1-of-9 this season in four games played.
 
Freshman pitcher Rien Moore gained her first win in her first collegiate start against Missouri S&T. Moore pitched six innings and allowed two hits and one run with four strikeouts against the Miners. Moore has a 1.17 ERA and opponents are hitting .100 against her.
 
Senior pitcher Cassidy Paulson went 1-1 in 6 2/3 innings of work at the McGhee-Hawkins Memorial Tournament. Paulson worked four innings of relief in a win at Henderson State. She allowed three hits and one run against the Reddies.
 
The Bearcats have posted back-to-back winning seasons for head coach Naomi Tellez with 28 wins in 2023 and 28 victories in the 2024 season. Northwest secured its first winning MIAA record (15-11) in 2024 for the first time since a 16-10 mark in the 2018 campaign.
 
Tellez is in her fourth season at the helm of the program and has generated 73 wins, including 35 triumphs in MIAA action. Tellez has an overall record of 73-88. She is 35-43 in league games.
 
The MIAA coaches projected Northwest to finish seventh in the preseason league poll.
 
2025 MIAA SOFTBALL PRESEASON POLL
1. Rogers State [7] – 139 points
2. Central Oklahoma [6] – 137 points
3. Pittsburg State – 120 points
4. Washburn – 111 points
5. Missouri Southern – 85 points
6. Missouri Western – 83 points
7. Northwest Missouri State – 79 points
8. Emporia State – 71 points
9. Central Missouri – 69 points
10. Fort Hays State – 48 points
11. Nebraska Kearney – 32 points
12. Newman – 26 points
13. Northeastern State – 14 points