Friday, March 13 – Maryville, Mo.
MSU Moorhead at Northwest Missouri State, 12 p.m. & 2 p.m. | WATCH | STATS
 
The Northwest Missouri State University softball team will open its home season Friday with a doubleheader against MSU Moorhead beginning at 12 p.m.
 
Northwest (18-5 overall) possesses the MIAA's longest current win streak at 10 in a row. The 10-game win streak is tied for the eighth-longest active streak among NCAA Div. II softball programs.
 
NCAA Div. II Longest Active Winning Streaks
1. Cal St. San Marcos            20
2. Colorado Christian            17
3. Saint Leo                           13
    Cal St. Monterey Bay        13
    Eckerd                      13
6. Lenoir-Rhyne           12
7. Florida Tech             11
8. Northwest Mo. St.             10
    Oklahoma Baptist              10
10. Southern Arkansas 9
    West Texas A&M             9
    Tampa                      9
 
The 10-game winning streak is the longest since Northwest softball won 10 in a row from March 11-28, 2006. The Bearcats won 11 in a row from March 29-April 9 in 2006.
 
Northwest is 7-1 in one-run games and have collected three walk-off victories this season.
 
The Bearcats rank No. 4 in the nation in stolen bases with 67. The Bearcats are 67-for-74 in stolen base attempts this season. Omara Love leads the way with 14 thefts.
 
NCAA Div. II Stolen Base Team Leaders
1. Washburn                 86
2. Missouri Southern    81
3. AUM               68
4. Northwest Mo. St.    67
5. Miles               63
    St. Mary's (Texas)   63
7. San Francisco St.     62
8. Chowan          61
9. Eckerd             60
    Jessup              60
 
Northwest ranks No. 9 in the nation and first in the MIAA in fielding percentage (.980). Northwest has made 13 errors in 23 games.
 
Junior Emma Hague is batting a team-best .411 and riding a 10-game hitting streak into the MSU Moorhead doubleheader … tied for second on the team with 13 stolen bases in 14 attempts … she has played in 21 games with 18 starts in center field … has scored 10 runs and driven in four … has four multi-hit games … Stole a base and drew a walk against Drury on January 30… Recorded a hit and a stolen base against Missouri-St. Louis on February 1… Notched a hit and a run scored against Arkansas Tech on February 6… Delivered a hit and two stolen bases with a run scored in the win over Truman State on February 7… Tallied a hit and an RBI with a sacrifice hit against Southwest Baptist on February 7… Hit a double and scored a run against Rockhurst on February 20… Registered two hits, including a double, and two runs against Drury University on February 22… Collected two hits, two RBIs, and a stolen base against Minnesota State University on February 22… Achieved two hits and a stolen base against MSU Moorhead on February 27… Smashed two doubles and drove in three runs during the series against William Jewell on March 7.
 
Senior Jaeleigh Darnell leads the Bearcats with four home runs and a .721 slugging percentage … she has a 1.195 OPS … she his batting .326 with 14 hits, 11 runs and eight RBI … she has homered in three of the last six games … Recorded 36 fielding assists… Highlight game on March 7, 2026, against William Jewell with 4 runs, 3 hits, including a home run and a double, and 1 RBI… Hit a home run and drove in 2 runs with 2 hits, including a double, against MSU Moorhead on February 27, 2026… Combined for a series on February 12, 2026, with 3 hits, 1 double, and 2 runs scored against Southwest Baptist and Truman State… Registered 1 home run, 2 hits, and 1 RBI against Quincy on February 28, 2026… Delivered a home run, 2 hits, and 1 RBI with 1 run scored against Montana State-Billings on February 21, 2026.
 
Senior Omara Love has reached base in 16 consecutive games … Love leads the team in hits (31), RBI (22), stolen bases (14) … she ranks second on the team in batting average (.392) and runs scored (19) … has accumulated eight extra-base hits (4 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs) … has nine multi-hit games … has five multi-RBI games … Recorded a slugging percentage of .392 and an OPS of 1.000… Had two sacrifice flies, contributing an RBI against Minnesota-Duluth on January 31… Struck out only twice this season… Made 33 putouts with two fielding assists… Delivered a season-best performance against Lewis on January 30 with three hits and four RBI… Contributed two hits and one RBI in a series against William Jewell on March 7 … Love ranks No. 4 on Northwest's all-time stolen base chart with 50 … She ranks No. 6 on Northwest's all-time batting average list at .363 with 181 career hits.
 
Northwest Career Stolen Bases
1. - Torri Blythe (2014-2017) - 68
2. - Katy John (2003-2006) - 67
3. - Kendra Smith (1997-2000) - 51
4. - Omara Love (2023-pr.) - 50
5. - Lindsay Stephenson (2003-2007) - 48
6. - Erin Leslie (2007-2010) - 45
7. - Lillie Filger (2023-2025) - 43
8. - Karen Hopewell (1982-1986) - 33
9. - Jordan Ereth (2012-2014) - 31
10. - Hailee Hendricks (2010-2013) – 29
 
Northwest Career Highest Batting Average (min. 250 AB)
1. - Lillie Filger (2023-2025) - .397 (213-536)
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. - Omara Love (2023-pr.) - .363 (181-499)
7. - Rebecca Maher (2015-2018) - .361 (244-675)
8. - Olivia Daugherty (2019-2023) - .356 (232-652)
9. - S. Armstrong (1991-1993) - .345 (89-258)
10. - Erin Leslie (2007-2010) - .344 (217-631)
 
Sophomore Mackenzie Mlnarik is batting .352 and ranks tied for second on the team with 13 stolen bases … she has scored a team-best 23 runs and ranks third on the squad with 25 hits …
she has eight multi-hit games … she has two multi-RBI games … Achieved a team-high eight sacrifice hits, which leads the MIAA … has been hit by a pitch five times to rank second on the team… Scored three runs and hit one home run with two RBI against Truman State on February 12 … Delivered two hits and one run against Arkansas Tech on February 6 … Against Missouri-St. Louis on February 13, drove in two runs with one hit and one walk … Collected two hits, one double, and scored two runs in a doubleheader against William Jewell on March 7 … Stood out defensively with 38 putouts and 37 assists.
 
Senior Alexis Brown has started all 23 games in right field … she is batting .256 with 21 hits and 15 runs scored … is 10-for-11 in stolen bases … has three multi-hit games … season-high four hits against Montana State-Billings on February 21… Scored 15 runs and stole 10 bases… Hit one double and one triple, both against Oklahoma Baptist on January 31… Registered four RBIs, with two coming against Rockhurst on February 20… Walked five times and did not strike out… Led the team in plate appearances with 25 and fly outs with 27… Also led in total bases with seven and grounded into two double plays… Recorded 19 putouts and three fielding assists from the right field position.
 
Sophomore Kaylee Cords is third on the team in batting average (.356) … she ranks second on the team also in hits (26) and RBI (19) … has drawn nine walks … has eight multi-hit games … has five multi-RBI contests … tallied a pair of game-winning walk-off hits at the Lone Star D2 Classic … came through in the ninth-inning with a two-out, run-scoring single to plate Curstin Todd and give Northwest a 3-2 win over Drury … worked her magic again in the bottom of the seventh with a walk-off double to right field that scored Omara Love for an 8-7 victory over Lewis … In a two-game series against William Jewell on March 7, logged 10 putouts… has thrown out three would-be base stealers … has allowed only one passed ball.
 
Sophomore shortstop Curstin Todd has made five errors in 106 chances in the field … Todd is batting .145 with eight hits, including three doubles … she has scored five runs and knocked in five … she is 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts … has two multi-hit games … leads the team with 66 fielding assists, which ranks No. 5 in the nation and first in the MIAA.
 
Senior Sara Farlow has reached base in 18 straight games … leads the team with 15 walks … is batting .306 with 15 hits and two home runs … has totaled 154 putouts, leading the team … connected on Northwest's only home run of the Lone Star D2 Classic against Minnesota-Duluth … has hit four career home runs as a Bearcat … Hit a home run and a double against William Jewell on March 7… Notched a season-high two hits and one home run against Minnesota-Duluth on January 31… Contributed two RBIs and a home run against William Jewell on March 7… Delivered two hits, including a home run, with one RBI against Concordia-St. Paul on February 28… Secured two hits and one RBI against Montana State-Billings on February 21.
 
Sophomore Timber Wilson leads the team with seven doubles … is batting .295 with 11 RBI … has four multi-hit games … Recorded 3 hits and 2 RBI, including 2 doubles, against Lewis on Jan. 30... Went 2-for-3 with a double and 1 RBI against Missouri-St. Louis on Feb. 13... Notched 2 hits, 1 home run, and 2 RBI against Minnesota State on Feb. 27... Tallied 3 hits and 2 RBI in the series finale against William Jewell on March 7.
 
Senior Jadyn Streigle is 8-1 and leads the squad with 42 strikeouts … she has a 1.91 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP … she has thrown a team-best six complete games with two shutouts … in her last six starts, Streigle is 6-0 and has surrendered eight earned runs in 37 innings pitched for a 1.70 ERA with 20 strikeouts … she struck out a career-high 11 batters in a 2-1 complete game victory over Southwest Baptist in Bentonville, Ark.
 
Streigle ranks tied for No. 5 in program history with 41 pitching victories. She has produced 13 shutouts, which ranks No. 9 in school history. Streigle has struck out 241 batters in her Bearcat pitching career.
 
Northwest Career Pitching Wins
1. Michele Ansley (1997-2000) - 53
2. Jenna Creger (2010-2013) - 48
3. Cola Krueger (2006-2009) - 47
4. Shelly MacDonald (2002-2005) - 43
5. Kelly Morris (2006-2008) - 41
    Jadyn Streigle (2023-pr.) - 41
7. Shelley Lewis (1982-1985) - 39
8. Shelly McClure (1984-1987) - 37
9. Breck Dickey (2020-2024) - 36
10. Shelly Navara (1986-1987) - 35


Northwest Career Shutouts
1. Shelley Lewis (1982-1985) - 17
2. Cola Krueger (2006-2009) - 16
    Shelly MacDonald (2002-2005) - 16
4. Jenna Creger (2010-2013) - 15
5. Kelly Morris (2006-2008) - 13
6. Shelly McClure (1984-1987) - 13
    Shelly Navara (1986-1987) - 13
    Michele Ansley (1997-2000) - 13
    Jadyn Streigle (2023-pr.) - 13
10. Jennifer Spencer (1995-1996) – 10
 
Sophomore Rien Moore has pitched a 51.0 innings with a 2.75 ERA … she is 6-0 with 35 strikeouts and a save … she has tossed three complete games … she has appeared in 11 games with six starts … opponents are batting .200 vs. Moore this season … she struck out a season-high 10 batters vs. Drury on Jan. 30.
 
Junior Olivia Moyer is 3-2 with a 4.34 ERA and a save … has appeared in 10 games and made five starts in the circle … Moyer has struck out 28 batters.
 
Sophomore pitcher Erika Gore picked up a save by tossing three innings against Montana State-Billings at the Washburn Invite … Gore has appeared in seven games with three starts … She is 1-2 with a 5.04 ERA in 16 2/3 innings pitched … she has struck out 12 batters.
 
Fifth-year head coach Naomi Tellez has produced 111 wins in her five seasons at the helm of the Bearcat softball program. She became the fifth Bearcat softball coach to reach 100 victories.
 
Northwest Coaching Victory Leaders
1. Ryan Anderson (2007-21)          345
2. Gayla Steenbergen (1982-84)     273
3. Pam Knox (1997-02)                  146
4. Susan Anderson (2003-06)                  124
5. Naomi Tellez (2022-pr.)             111
 
The Bearcats were projected to finish ninth in the preseason MIAA coaches poll.
 
2026 MIAA SOFTBALL PRESEASON RANKINGS
1. Pittsburg State [10] – 141 points
2. Central Oklahoma [1] – 125 points
3. Missouri Southern [1] – 116 points
4. Rogers State [1] – 111 points
5. Central Missouri – 101 points
6. Washburn – 96 points
7. Missouri Western – 84 points
8. Emporia State – 65 points
9. Northwest Missouri State – 49 points
10. Fort Hays State – 45 points
11. Nebraska Kearney – 43 points
12. Northeastern State – 26 points
13. Newman – 12 points 
[#] - First Place Votes