Thursday, April 17 – St. Louis, Mo.
Northwest Missouri State at Missouri-St. Louis, - CANCELED (RAIN)

Thursday, April 17 – Jefferson City, Mo.
Northwest Missouri State at Lincoln, 1 p.m./3 p.m. (Doubleheader)
GLVC SPORTS NETWORK | LIVE STATS
 
The Northwest Missouri State University softball team will step out of conference play with a matchup against Lincoln, Mo.
 
Northwest will travel to Jefferson City, Mo., Thursday for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. against the Lincoln University Blue Tigers. Lincoln, a former member of the MIAA, is 15-25 overall and 6-16 in GLVC play. Northwest is 43-2 all-time against Lincoln. The squads had played every season from 1994 through 2024 season as members of the MIAA. Northwest has won 14 straight games against Lincoln. Lincoln's last win against Northwest came March 25, 2016, in Jefferson City.
 
The Bearcats are 18-25 overall and 8-14 in MIAA play. Northwest is tied for 10th place in the MIAA standings. The top 10 teams will qualify for the single-elimination MIAA Tournament, which is set for April 30-May 4 at Fleharty Family Field in Hays, Kan.
 
2025 MIAA Standings
1. Central Oklahoma    16-2
2. Pittsburg State 14-4
3. Rogers State    14-8
4. Missouri Southern    10-8
5. Washburn                 11-9
    Central Missouri      11-9
7. Missouri Western     11-11
8. Fort Hays State        8-10
    Nebraska-Kearney   8-10
10. Northwest Mo. St.  8-14
     Northeastern St.      8-14
12. Emporia State        7-13
13. Newman                 2-16
 
Northwest ranks No. 6 in the nation in fielding percentage (.976). Northwest has made only 13 errors in MIAA games and possesses a .979 fielding percentage in league games. Only Pittsburg State (11), Central Missouri (12) and Central Oklahoma (12) have made fewer errors in MIAA games this season.
 
NCAA Div. II Team Fielding Percentage
1. Bridgeport                .981
2. UT Tyler                  .981
3. Central Oklahoma    .981
4. Biola               .979
5. Central Missouri      .977
6. Northwest Mo. St.    .976
7. Colo. Christian         .976
8. Angelo St.                .974
9. Charleston, W.Va.    .974
10. Ferris St.                 .974
 
Northwest has outscored its opponents in the first two innings of games this season, 71-38. Northwest owns a 40-28 scoring advantage in the first inning and a 31-10 lead in the second inning. Overall, the Bearcats have outscored the opposition, 205-174.
 
Northwest is hitting .309 as a squad, which ranks No. 4 in the MIAA. Northwest is fourth in the MIAA in hits (363). Northwest ranks No. 5 in the league in on-base percentage (.383). Northwest is 17-6 when it has more hits than its opponent. The Bearcats are 1-19 when they have the same or fewer hits than their opponents.
 
The Bearcats possess a 3.73 team earned run average. Bearcat pitchers have struck out 199 batters. Opponents are hitting .277 vs. Bearcat pitching.
 
Northwest is 12-2 when leading after six innings. In contrast, the Bearcats at 1-21 when trailing after six innings. Northwest is 12-2 when scoring six runs or more. The Bearcats are 6-23 when scoring five runs or less. Northwest is 13-2 when it holds the opposition to two runs or less. Northwest is 5-23 when the opponent scores three or more runs.
 
Three Bearcats have played all 43 games at the same position this season – Lille Filger (CF), Skylar Pieper (1B) and Curstin Todd (SS). Malia Cuevas has started 42 of the 43 games at second base. Filger is the only Bearcat batter to have batted in the same spot (leadoff) in the batting order in all 43 games.
 
Senior outfielder Lillie Filger has scored a team-best 34 runs and is batting .393. Filger ranks No. 10 in the MIAA in batting average. Filger ranks No. 4 in hits in the MIAA with 59. Filger has 16 stolen bases to rank tied for No. 8 in the MIAA. Filger has tallied 10 stolen bases in MIAA play, which ranks as the fifth-highest total in league games this season. Filger has led off an inning with 36 hits this year (36-of-66 - .545 average). She is credited with 68 career multi-hit games, including 20 this season. Filger has produced 17 three-hit games in her Bearcat career. Filger ranks No. 8 on Northwest's all-time hits list with 205. She has a career average of .400, which would rank first in Bearcat history. Filger is one of eight Bearcats to have recorded 200 or more hits in a career. She ranks tied for No. 48 among active NCAA Div. II players with 205 hits. Filger's 42 career stolen bases ranks No. 6 on Northwest's all-time steals list.
 
NORTHWEST CAREER HITS
1. 244, Rebecca Maher (2015-2018)
2. 237, Kendra Smith (1997-2000)
3. 235, Torri Blythe (2014-2017)
    235, Kaitlyn Weis (2017-2021)
5. 232, Olivia Daugherty (2019-2023)
6. 217, Erin Leslie (2007-2010)
7. 210, Chantel Adams (2014-2017)
8. 205, Lillie Filger (2023-pr.)
9. 192, Katy John (2003-2006)
10. 190, Angie McCoy (2001-2004)
    190, Jaedra Moses (2016-2019)
 
NORTHWEST CAREER BATTING AVERAGE (min. 250 AB)
1. - Lillie Filger (2023-pres.) - .400 (205-512)
2. - Kendra Smith (1997-2000) - .396 (236-596)
3. - Stephanie Mark (2014-2015) - .388 (126-325)
4. - Kaitlyn Weis (2017-2021) - .382 (235-615)
5. - Casey Carper (2008-2009) - .368 (117-318)
6. - Rebecca Maher (2015-2018) - .361 (244-675)
7. - Olivia Daugherty (2019-2023) - .356 (232-652
8. - S. Armstrong (1991-1993) - .345 (89-258)
9. - Erin Leslie (2007-2010) - .344 (217-631)
10. - Amanda Urquhart (1997-2000) - .341 (189-554)
11. - Megan Spring (2001-2004) - .341 (189-555)
 
NORTHWEST CAREER STOLEN BASES
1. - Torri Blythe (2014-2017) - 68
2. - Katy John (2003-2006) - 67
3. - Kendra Smith (1997-2000) - 51
4. - Lindsay Stephenson (2003-2007) - 48
5. - Erin Leslie (2007-2010) – 45
6. – Lillie Filger (2023-pr.) – 42
7. - Omara Love (2023-pr.) – 34
8. - Karen Hopewell (1982-1986) – 33
9. - Jordan Ereth (2012-2014) – 31
10. - Hailee Hendricks (2010-2013) - 29
 
Junior Omara Love ranks second on the team in hitting at .380 and in stolen bases (15). She ranks second on the team with 31 RBI. She tops the squad in triples (5), doubles (12) and extra-base hits (19). Love is tied for sixth in the MIAA in doubles (12). Love has garnered 15 two-out hits this season. She has posted 18 multi-hit games this season and has 41 multi-hit games in her career. Love has stolen 34 career bases to rank No. 7 on Northwest's all-time stolen base list. Love was named the MIAA Hitter of the Week (March 31) after she led the Bearcats to a 3-1 mark vs. Central Oklahoma and Newman. Love cracked her first collegiate home run, a grand slam vs. Newman. It was her first home run in 370 collegiate at bats.
 
Junior Alexis Brown is third on the squad in hitting (.368). Brown has posted 14 multi-hit games this season. Brown has collected 28 career multi-hit games. She leads the team with 14 two-out RBI. In the doubleheader vs. Emporia State, Brown went 5-for-8 with two ripples and six RBI. Brown tied a Bearcat single-game record by recording five hits in a 7-6 win over Illinois-Springfield. It is the sixth time in school history a Northwest softball player has recorded five hits in a game. Prior to Brown's feat against UIS, Lindy Tomlinson was the last Bearcat to achieve a five-hit game as she did it against Central Missouri on March 29, 2001. She was named the MIAA Hitter of the Week after she went 11-of-15 at the Alvy Early Classic.
 
In MIAA play this season, senior Grace Lubben is batting .375 with 21 hits in 56 at-bats. In league games, Lubben has clubbed three homers and ripped seven doubles with 12 RBI. She has also drawn 18 walks in 22 MIAA contests, which ranks as the second-best total in the league. In all games, Lubben is batting .329 with 23 hits in 70 at-bats. She is tops on the team in slugging percentage (.571). Lubben leads the team with 20 walks drawn.
 
Junior Gaige Pinkerton is one of six Bearcat hitters batting above .300 (.352). She has drawn 19 base-on-balls. Pinkerton is tied for No. 7 in the nation and is tied for the MIAA lead by throwing out 12 would-be base stealers.
 
Senior Skylar Pieper leads the Bearcats in RBI (33). She leads the team in home runs (4). She is batting .295 with a .470 slugging percentage. Pieper has 42 multi-hit games in her Bearcat career, including 11 this year. Pieper has 10 multi-RBI contests this season. Pieper ranks No. 3 all-time on Northwest's career putouts chart with 1,071. She has made only 15 errors in 1,141 chances as a Bearcat.
 
NORTHWEST CAREER PUTOUTS
1. - Janelle Krohn (2005-2008) – 1,230
2. - Janet Schieber (1984-1986) – 1,083
3. - Skylar Pieper (2022-pr.) – 1,071
4. - Nichole Strawn (1998-2001) - 902
5. - Amy Erickson (1986-1989) - 800
6. - Jessica Rawie (2015-2018) - 796
7. - Stephanie Mark (2014-2015) - 677
8. - Megan Spring (2001-2004) - 633
9. - Kristen Hessel (2008-2011) - 625
10. - Ashley Pride (2003-2006) - 610
* Putout statistics were not available in 1991, 1996
 
Freshman Malia Cuevas is hitting .336. She ranks third on the team with 14 two-out hits. She has nine multi-hit games and three multi-RBI contests this season. She gained her first three-hit game of her career at Nebraska-Kearney (March 22). Cuevas has recorded eight hits in her last 10 at bats. She went 3-for-3 vs. No. 6-ranked Central Oklahoma. She went 2-for-4 and 3-for-3 in a doubleheader vs. Newman.
 
Freshman Curstin Todd has started all 43 games at shortstop. She leads the MIAA in assists in all games (107) and in league games only (53). She has committed only two errors in 156 chances (.987 fielding percentage). She has been a part of seven double plays.
 
Junior pitcher Jadyn Streigle is 7-8 with a 3.47 ERA in 88 2/3 innings in the circle. Streigle leads the team with 60 strikeouts, seven complete games and two shutouts. Streigle has a 2.65 ERA in MIAA games in 60 2/3 innings of work. She is 6-5 with 39 strikeouts in MIAA action. Streigle has tossed 32 career complete games. She is 30-27 with a 2.84 ERA in her Bearcat career.
 
Sophomore pitcher Olivia Moyer has struck out 47 batters in 54 2/3 innings of work in the circle. Moyer is 2-5 with a 4.23 ERA. Moyer has made nine starts this season. Moyer tied a season-high with eight strikeouts in four innings of relief against Northeastern State. Her previous season high of eight strikeouts came in a start against Upper Iowa when she went six innings in the circle.
 
Freshman pitcher Erika Gore tossed her first collegiate shutout with a two-hit gem against Newman. Gore is 1-3 with a 2.19 ERA in 48.0 innings of work.
 
Freshman pitcher Rien Moore is 5-4 in 40 2/3 innings of work and ranks second on the team with 42 strikeouts. She has allowed 33 hits, but only four for extra bases (3 doubles; 1 home run). Opponents are batting .224 against Moore this year.
 
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 89 wins, including 43 triumphs in MIAA action. Tellez has an overall record of 89-110. She is 43-57 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