BENTONVILLE, Ark. – The Northeastern State softball team dropped a pair of one-run decisions Saturday at Memorial Park on the final day of the 2016 8-State Classic.
 
The RiverHawks (5-3) first lost to Truman State (2-2) by a 2-1 margin before falling to Harding (6-3) 4-3 in the final game of the tournament.
 
On the day, juniors Ryan Martin and Madison Boyd joined sophomore Jessica Boone as the three members of the team with multiple hits. Boone and sophomore Kaleigh Hinkle both hit home runs.
 
Northeastern State was scheduled to play two more times on Feb. 14, but the final day of the 8-State Classic has been canceled due to impending inclement weather.
 
NSU will now prep for a busy weekend of softball that will see the green and white play seven games in a four-day span. The first two contests will be against Missouri S&T beginning at noon Feb. 19 in Joplin, Missouri.

TRUMAN STATE 2, NORTHEASTERN STATE 1
The Bulldogs held NSU to two hits in the first game of the day for the RiverHawks. The first hit gave Northeastern State a 1-0 lead by way of a Boone homer in the top of the third. Truman State plated runs in the fourth and sixth runs, however, to come back and down NSU.
 
The other hit on the day for Northeastern State was a double by junior Ryan Martin.
 
Senior pitcher Kayce Wooldridge (3-1) suffered her first loss of the season despite a great pitching effort in the circle. She gave up just two runs on six hits. She struck out five and did not issue a walk in a complete-game effort.
 
Kelsea Dorsey also threw a complete game for Truman State. He allowed just the Boone solo shot, while striking out eight and walking just two.
 
Morgan McMahan finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and was the only player in the game with more than one hit.
 
HARDING 4, NORTHEASTERN STATE 3
Northeastern State was forced to play catch-up throughout the final game of the day after Harding scored twice in the third and once each in the fourth and fifth innings.
 
Hinkle's home run in the fifth cut Harding's lead to 3-2, but the Bisons tacked on the crucial insurance tally in the home half of the frame. NSU was only able to respond with one run in the top of the sixth.
 
Both teams had eight hits, and Boyd paced the RiverHawks with a 2-for-4 effort. Kinsey Beck and Brookelynn Moon had two hits each for HU.
 
Senior Delaney Gray (0-1) made her first start of the season, and she allowed four runs on eight hits in 4.1 innings. Wooldridge recorded the final five outs and did not concede a base runner.
 
Hannah Johnson (3-0) remained perfect on the year after giving up two runs on five hits in 4.1 frames. She struck out five and walked zero.

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