Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State softball team defeated Missouri Southern State in two games Saturday afternoon at RiverHawks Park.

The RiverHawks (19-7, 7-1 MIAA) claimed game one 6-3 against the Lions (6-14, 0-4 MIAA) and snapped up game two 8-5. NSU has won 17 of its last 18 games, and the squad improved to 17-1 at home.

NSU 6, MSSU 3 (box score)
Missouri Southern's Chloe Brown homered to center field in the first inning to put the visitors on top 1-0. The Lions plated one run in the top of the third and the top of the fourth inning to improve their lead to 3-0 over the RiverHawks.

Northeastern State plated one run in the bottom of the fourth frame but still trailed the Lions 3-1. Senior Madison Reed scored on a base loaded fielder's choice to third base from senior Allyson Pogue. Reed reached base on a single to the shortstop.

NSU put together a big inning in the bottom of the fifth frame to take the lead for good. Freshman Ryan Martin scored with the bases loaded when sophomore Saharra Henson took first after being hit by a pitch. Martin reached base on a single to right field. Also scoring was Henson, Reed and freshman Lauren Flanary on a double to left center by junior Alyssa Aguilar. Aguilar later touched home on an infield error.

NSU would hold MSSU to three runs and defeat the Lions in seven innings. The visitors outhit Northeastern State 6-4, and both squads committed a pair of errors.

Aguilar led the RiverHawks with three runs batted in, and Reed scored twice.

Sophomore Kayce Wooldridge (9-3) earned the win in the circle after throwing her ninth complete game of the season. She allowed six hits and three runs.

NSU 8, MSSU 5 (box score)
The Lions' Dawn Grass jump-started the offense in the second game with a three-run home run in the top of the first inning to put the visitors on top 3-0. NSU was able to get one back in the bottom of the frame, but MSSU would carry the advantage through the first three frames. Flanary scored on a sacrifice fly from freshman Madison Boyd to get Northeastern State on the board in the first.

Both teams traded runs in the third frame. The Lions gained one run to improve their score 4-1, but the RiverHawks answered right back when Boyd scored on a double from Pogue to left center to make the score 4-2 still in favor of MSSU.

Northeastern State struck hard in the bottom of the fourth inning and plated six runs to move ahead 8-4. Reed scored for NSU on a single to right center from Boyd. Pogue then hit a bases-loaded triple to right center to send in Aguilar, Boyd and Henson. Senior Navada Campos followed with a single to center field and scored senior Megan Robison and Pogue.

The Lions offense briefly began to come around in the top of the seventh, but the RiverHawks shut them down allowing only one run to be scored in the inning. NSU's big fourth inning proved to be enough to defeat Missouri Southern State 8-5.

Boyd and Campos led NSU with two hits each, while Pogue added two hits and four RBI.

Junior Laura Fleck (3-1) was credited with the win in the circle after throwing 3.2 frames. She allowed three hits and one run in her relief appearance. Sophomore Alex Files started the game in the circle and was only able to record one out before exiting. She conceded two hits and three runs. Senior Kylee Cole tossed the final three innings and was credited with the save. She allowed just one run on three hits.

Northeastern State will next host a non-conference doubleheader with Minnesota-Duluth at 1 p.m. March 19 at RiverHawks Park.

NORTHEASTERN STATE COACH CLAY DAVIS
Opening Statement…
"We did what we did yesterday and waited around until we found a big inning, I'm definitely proud of our girls for that. We just need to do a better job of putting pressure on our opponents early in the ball game to get a big hit. We finally broke through in the first game. Alyssa Aguilar had a huge three-run double for us that set the tone for us late in the game. Of course in the second game, Pogue followed with a three-run double to put us ahead."

On the pitching staff…
"Our pitching staff did a good job. Wooldridge did what we expected she would do in the first game. She pitched seven full innings and only gave up one earned run. In the second game, Alex Files started off a little rough but then our bullpen picked her up for us. Laura Fleck did a good job at relief and then Kylee Cole came in and was able to get ground ball after ground ball. That led to us turning two double plays behind her, and I was pretty impressed with that."  

On the depth of the pitching staff…
"Our pitching staff supports one another. They know that it's important to pick each other up if someone doesn't have the best inning. Wooldridge has come in and picked people up before. Kylee Cole has come in twice this weekend to pick up (Shelbie) Wagnon and then Files. Fleck today did a great job for us. It's just really refreshing to know that we have confidence in our five pitchers to come in in any situation and get us out."

-GoRiverHawksGo.com-