Box Score 1  I  Box Score 2

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State softball team won two games against No. 17 Emporia State University Monday afternoon at RiverHawks Park.

The RiverHawks (19-28, 9-13 MIAA) defeated ESU (31-17, 13-9 MIAA) 3-2 before winning 2-1 in the second game to sweep the day.

Junior pitcher Kayce Wooldridge threw 218 pitches and two complete games, while only allowing three runs en route to earning two victories over the nationally ranked Hornets.  

Offensively, Megan Ewton led the way for the RiverHawks. The junior was 4-for-5, including going 3-for-3 with an RBI in the first game. Redshirt freshman Paige Gann (2-for-6), senior Alyssa Aguilar (2-for-5) and freshman Bailey Applegate (2-for-5) each recorded two hits. Freshman Jessica Boone, senior Alli Eales, sophomore Ryan Martin and freshman Kaleigh Hinkle also had hits on the day.

Northeastern State will next travel to Pittsburg, Kansas, to take on Pittsburg State April 24. The first game is set to begin at 2 p.m.

NORTHEASTERN STATE 3, EMPORIA STATE 2
The Hornets took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Caitlin VanVleck led off the game with a double and then came around to score on a sacrifice bunt and wild pitch.

Emporia State added an additional run in the fourth inning. Stephanie Goodwin led the inning off with her league-leading 20th double before Kaitlyn Caston hit a single up the middle allowing Goodwin to come around and score.

The RiverHawks responded in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring three runs of their own. Eales scored after getting in a rundown and sliding past the catcher's tag. Martin then singled to right field, allowing Gann to score from third base. With the score tied 2-2 and runners on first and second, Ewton drove a ball into left field, bringing across what would be the winning run.

Wooldridge and the NSU defense allowed only two baserunners in the final three innings and the RiverHawks took game one 3-2.

Wooldridge (11-11) earned the victory in the circle for the green and white. She conceded two runs on five hits in 7.0 innings pitched. Wooldridge struck out five and walked two.

NORTHEASTERN STATE 2, EMPORIA STATE 1
Emporia State took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on an RBI single by Danielle Sprinkle.

The green and white rallied in the fifth inning. With runners on first and third, Hinkle laid a squeeze bunt down the first base line and everyone was safe, tying the game 1-1. After Applegate moved up to third base on a groundout, the Emporia State catcher tried to pick her off. The throw was errant and Applegate crossed home, pushing the score to 2-1 in favor of NSU.

Wooldridge, throwing her second complete game of the day, allowed just one run in the victory. She scattered seven hits while striking out four Hornets and walking just one.

NORTHEASTERN STATE COACH CLAY DAVIS
Initial statement…
"These were two big wins for our program. We're trying to fight for a spot in the MIAA tournament and our backs are against a wall. To come out and get two big wins against a quality program like Emporia State will hopefully be a good springboard for us moving forward."
 
On Kayce Wooldridge pitching two complete games…
"Kayce has had a lot of success against Emporia in the last couple years. After the first game, all of the coaches got together and we looked at each other and decided to let her go back out there because she was rolling. She ended up scattering seven hits in the second game, but only allowed one run after already going a full game. Against an offense like Emporia has, when they see her that many times, it was an impressive performance."
 
On playing two low-scoring games…
"All season we've waited on the double or the home run and that is kind of how our team is built. Today we had to execute small ball. In the second game, Kaleigh Hinkle put a huge squeeze bunt down. We ran a first and third double steal play that we work on offensively and defensively. We've told the team that there will be a couple of games every year that are decided on a play like that. We lost one game on the defensive side, and today we won a game by executing it offensively."
 
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