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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State softball team is set to play in the 2015 8-State Classic hosted by the University of Arkansas at Monticello Feb. 13-15. The RiverHawks (0-4) will take on Drury (0-0) and Minnesota State-Mankato (0-0) on Feb. 13, Northwestern Oklahoma State (2-3) and Oklahoma Panhandle State (5-2) on Feb. 14 and Ouachita Baptist (3-3) and Southern Arkansas (3-3) on Feb. 15.

The tournament, being played at Bentonville High School and Memorial Park in Bentonville, Arkansas, will consist of 31 teams playing 89 games over three days.

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS                 
Northeastern State will take on the Panthers of Drury University at 9 a.m. Feb. 13. Drury is located in Springfield, Missouri, and the team competes in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The 8-State Classic will be the first competition of the year for the Panthers. Drury was picked to finish 12th in the preseason GLVC poll. The Panthers finished the 2014 season with a 14-38 record. They return their top hitter from a year ago in senior Carson Forge. Forge hit .333 with six home runs and 31 runs batted in during the 2014 campaign. Drury also returns pitcher Jessica Kjeldgaard who had an 11-19 record with a 3.41 ERA last season.
 
SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS
Northeastern State will take on the Mavericks of Minnesota State-Mankato at 3 p.m. Feb. 13. Minnesota State-Mankato is located in Mankato, Minnesota, and the team competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. The 8-State Classic will be the first competition of the year for the Mavericks. Minnesota State-Mankato was picked to finish second in the preseason NSIC poll. The Mavericks finished with a 43-13 record last season. They return pitcher Coley Ries, who was named the NSIC Preseason Pitcher of the Year, as well as infielder Ashley Thell who batted .331 with 30 runs batted in during the 2014 season.  
 
SCOUTING THE RANGERS
The RiverHawks will meet the Rangers of Northwestern Oklahoma State University at 1 p.m. Feb. 14. Northwestern Oklahoma State is located in Alva, Oklahoma, and the team competes in the Great American Conference. NWOSU is 2-3 on the young season. The Rangers opened 2015 by sweeping a double header against UT-Permian Basin before falling to Texas A&M International, Angelo State and Tarleton State. They were selected to finish sixth in the preseason GAC poll after posting a 41-15 record a year ago. Shelby Anderson leads the way for Northwestern Oklahoma State. She finished the 2014 campaign with a batting average of .444 with 17 home runs and 52 RBI. The senior also pitched for the Rangers, posting a 21-7 record with an earned run average of 1.63.
 
SCOUTING THE AGGIES
NSU will meet the Aggies of Oklahoma Panhandle State University at 5 p.m. Feb. 14. OPSU is located in Goodwell, Oklahoma, and the team competes in the Heartland Conference. The Aggies have posted a 5-2 record so far in 2015. They won three out of four matchups against University of the Southwest to begin the season before defeating Midamerica Nazarene University and splitting with Western New Mexico University. Oklahoma Panhandle State was picked to finish ninth in the preseason Heartland poll after posting a 10-37 record in the 2014 campaign.
 
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Northeastern State will meet the Tigers of Ouachita Baptist University at 3 p.m. Feb. 15. Ouachita Baptist is located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and the team competes in the Great American Conference. The Tigers are 3-3 in the young 2015 season. They opened the year losing a doubleheader to Lyon College before going 3-1 the following weekend, posting wins over Lincoln, Missouri Western and Christian Brothers and losing to Missouri Southern. OBU was selected 11th in the preseason GAC poll. The Tigers were 18-38 in 2014.
 
SCOUTING THE LADY MULERIDERS
The RiverHawks will meet the Lady Muleriders of Southern Arkansas University at 5 p.m Feb. 15 to close out the 8-State Classic. Southern Arkansas is located in Magnolia, Arkansas, and the team competes in the Great American Conference. The Lady Muleriders are 3-3 in 2015. They have defeated Maryville, Trevecca Nazarene and Ohio Dominican while losing to Belalrmine, Union and Delta State. SAU was picked to finish second in the preseason GAC poll after finishing 37-26 a year ago. Leading the Lady Muleriders is Maddi Dow who hit 21 home runs, recorded 61 runs batted in and posted a .362 batting average in the 2014 campaign.
 
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