TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — Senior outfielder
Alexis Brown went 6-for-6 with three runs scored and four RBI as she led the Northwest Missouri State University softball team to a doubleheader split on the road Saturday against Northeastern State.
The RiverHawks took game one, 3-2. Northwest dispatched the RiverHawks in game two in five innings, 11-3. The Bearcats are 22-7 overall and 2-2 in MIAA play. The RiverHawks are 18-11 overall and 5-3 in league action.
In game 1, despite a two-run fifth inning, the Bearcats could not overcome Northeastern State's pitching, which limited them to six hits over the game. Northwest faced off against the RiverHawks with runs first crossing the plate in the fifth inning.
Kaylee Cords homered, securing an RBI with a solo shot.
Alexis Brown followed with a bunt single and later scored on
Emma Hague's double through the left side. The inning ended with the Bearcats leading 2–0. Northeastern State responded in the bottom of the fifth with Ashlynn Turner scoring on a sacrifice bunt by Emily Carpenter, and Halle Hance scoring on an error, tying the game at 2–2 at the end of the fifth. In the sixth, Northeastern State took the lead. Morgan Coryell, a pinch runner, scored on Hance's single, making it 3–2. Despite a single by Brown in the top of the seventh, the Bearcats were unable to drive in any more runs, concluding the game with a final score of 3–2 in favor of the RiverHawks.
Jadyn Streigle delivered a complete game performance for Northwest, pitching 6.0 innings and allowing five hits against Northeastern State. Streigle struck out four batters and issued a walk, maintaining a WHIP of 1.00. Despite giving up three runs, two of which were earned, Streigle managed to induce nine groundouts and five flyouts, showcasing effective control with 70 strikes out of 109 pitches. Cords hit a home run, contributing one run and one RBI in the game. Brown recorded three hits and scored once, maintaining an OPS of 2.000. Hague hit a double, driving in one run and earning one hit.
In game 2, Northwest started strong in the first inning with
Emma Hague walking and advancing to third on
Omara Love's single.
Timber Wilson's RBI-single brought Hague home, giving the Bearcats an early lead of 1-0. In the second inning, Northeastern State evened the score when Morgan Coryell, pinch running for Peyton Watson, scored on Halle Hance's groundout. The inning concluded with a score of 1-1. The third inning saw Northwest reclaim the lead as Hague doubled and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Love, making it 2-1. In the fourth inning, the Bearcats extended their lead with a three-run effort. After
Cora Schweitzer scored on
Alexis Brown's single, Hague doubled to bring in two additional runs. Northeastern responded with two runs of its own, closing the gap to 5-3. Northwest dominated the fifth inning, scoring six runs, highlighted by a bases-loaded walk to
Avery Mayberry and a triple by Brown. Hague contributed a sacrifice fly to bring in the final run, resulting in an 11-3 advantage.
Rien Moore led the pitching effort for Northwest in the second game, delivering a complete game performance by pitching 5.0 innings and allowing three earned runs on six hits. Moore struck out eight batters while walking three and managed to record a pickoff, achieving a WHIP of 1.80. Hague delivered a strong performance, scoring two runs and driving in three RBIs while recording two doubles. Brown showcased a powerful offensive display, tallying three hits, including a triple, and collecting four RBIs along with two runs. Wilson contributed two hits and one RBI, adding one run to the team's total.
Northwest will return home next weekend to play host to Fort Hays State (Friday, 1 p.m.) and Central Missouri (Saturday, 12 p.m.).
