Saturday, March 7 – Liberty, Mo.
Northwest Missouri State at William Jewell, 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. | WATCH | STATS
 
The Northwest Missouri State University softball team will take to the road Saturday and battle the William Jewell Cardinals in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. in Liberty, Mo.
 
The Bearcats (16-5 overall) are riding an eight-game winning streak as they prepare to take on the Cardinals (7-9) in a non-conference doubleheader. William Jewell will play host to Augustana in a doubleheader on Friday prior to the Saturday matchup with the Bearcats.
 
The eight-game winning streak is the longest since a nine-game winning streak in 2016 (March 29 – April 9). Northwest softball win 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 62. The Bearcats are 62-for-68 in stolen base attempts this season. Omara Love leads the way with 13 thefts.
 
NCAA Div. II Stolen Base Team Leaders
1. Washburn                 77
2. Missouri Southern    71
3. Miles               63
4. Northwest Mo. St.    62
5. AUM               61
6. Chowan           57
    St. Mary's (TX)       57
8. Angelo St.                56
9. San Fran. St.   55
10. Montevallo    51
 
Northwest ranks No. 19 in the nation and first in the MIAA in fielding percentage (.981). Northwest has made 13 errors in 21 games.
 
Senior Omara Love has reached base in 14 consecutive games … Love leads the team in batting average (.394), hits (28), RBI (21), stolen bases (13) … has scored 18 runs and has accumulated eight extra-base hits (4 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs) … has eight multi-hit games … has five multi-RBI games … Notable performance against Lewis on January 30, going 3-for-5 with three runs and four RBIs… Hit two home runs and drove in four runs against Truman State on February 7… Tallied two hits and a triple against Maryville on February 13… has 28 putouts and two assists in the field … Love ranks No. 4 on Northwest's all-time stolen base chart with 49. She ranks No. 6 on Northwest's all-time batting average list at .363 with 178 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.) – 49
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 (178-491)
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 .349 and ranks tied for second on the team with 12 stolen bases … she has scored a team-best 20 runs and ranks third on the squad with 22 hits …
she has seven multi-hit games … she has two multi-RBI games … Achieved a team-high 7 sacrifice hits… leads the team with 5 hit by pitches… series against Truman State on Feb. 12: 3-for-3 with 3 runs, 2 RBIs, and a home run… Against Southern Arkansas on Feb. 6: went 2-for-3 with a stolen base… Notched 2 hits and 2 runs against Arkansas Tech on Feb. 6… Hit a home run and tallied 2 RBIs against MSU Moorhead on Feb. 27… Registered 4 putouts against Montana State-Billings on Feb. 21… Accumulated 36 putouts and 34 assists over the season.
 
Senior Alexis Brown has started all 21 games in right field … she is batting .263 with 20 hits and 14 runs scored … is 9-for-10 in stolen bases … has three multi-hit games … Highlight game with four hits and one stolen base against Montana State-Billings on February 21, 2026… Recorded three hits, including a triple, with one RBI against Oklahoma Baptist on January 31, 2026.
 
Sophomore Kaylee Cords is second on the team in batting average (.388) … she ranks second on the team also in hits (26) and RBI (19) … has drawn eight 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.
 
Sophomore shortstop Curstin Todd has made only three errors in 96 chances in the field … Todd is batting .160 with eight hits, including three doubles … she has scored five runs and knocked in four … she is 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts … has two multi-hit games … leads the team with 65 fielding assists, which ranks No. 2 in the nation and first in the MIAA.
 
Senior Sara Farlow has reached base in 16 straight games … leads the team with 14 walks … is batting .279 with 12 hits and a homer … has totaled 141 putouts, leading the team … connected on Northwest's only home run of the Lone Star D2 Classic against Minnesota-Duluth … has hit three career home runs as a Bearcat.
 
Sophomore Timber Wilson leads the team with six doubles … is batting .270 with eight RBI … has three multi-hit games … Hit 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs against Lewis on January 30…Scored and doubled in a game against Truman State on February 7…Hit a home run and drove in two runs in a win against Minnesota State on February 27…Contributed two hits and an RBI against Missouri-St. Louis on February 1…Scored a run and doubled in a game against Quincy on February 28…Accumulated 28 putouts and one fielding assist during the season.
 
Junior Emma Hague is batting .375 and riding an eight-game hitting streak into the William Jewell doubleheader … tied for second on the team with 12 stolen bases in 13 attempts … she has played in 19 games with 16 starts in center field … has scored 10 runs and driven in four … has four multi-hit games … Against Drury on Feb. 22, went 2-for-2 with two runs scored, two hits, and two stolen bases… On Feb. 22, against Minnesota State University, went 2-for-3 with one run scored and two runs batted in… Collected two hits in Feb. 27 series against Minnesota State and MSU Moorhead… Scored two runs and hit a double against Quincy on Feb. 28.
 
Senior Jadyn Streigle is 7-1 and leads the squad with 37 strikeouts … she has a 1.37 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP … she has thrown a team-best six complete games with two shutouts … in her last five starts, Streigle is 5-0 and has surrendered three earned runs in 33 innings pitched for a 0.64 ERA with 15 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. 6 in program history with 40 pitching victories. She has produced 13 shutouts, which ranks No. 9 in school history. Streigle has struck out 236 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
6. Jadyn Streigle (2023-pr.) – 40
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 44.0 innings with a 2.55 ERA … she is 5-0 with 33 strikeouts and a save … she has tossed three complete games … she has appeared in 10 games with five starts … opponents are batting .178 vs. Moore this season.
 
Junior Olivia Moyer is 3-2 with a 4.81 ERA … has appeared in nine games and made five starts in the circle … Moyer has struck out 24 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 109 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.)             109
 
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