TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State softball team secured its first two conference victories Saturday afternoon at RiverHawks Park.
 
The RiverHawks (14-11, 2-4 MIAA) defeated Lincoln 7-0 in the first game before taking down the Blue Tigers (2-19, 1-5 MIAA) 9-2 in the second contest.
 
NSU outhit LU by a combined 21-5 on the day, which included the green and white's fourth shutout of the season.
 
True freshman Kelsey Harmon led the RiverHawks at the plate, as she finished 5-for-8 overall with one RBI and three runs scored. Junior Madison Boyd combined to go 4-for-6 with four RBI and three runs.
 
Northeastern State will look to improve to .500 in league action when the team entertains Lindenwood beginning at 10 a.m. March 13 at RiverHawks Park.
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE 7, LINCOLN 0
NSU jumped on top with five runs in the bottom of the first inning and coasted to the series-opening victory. The green and white was able to tack on additional markers in the fifth and sixth frames.
 
Harmon was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and three runs scored. Boyd finished 2-for-4 with two runs driven home and one run scored. True freshman Jordan Woosley went 2-for-3 with her first-career extra base hit (a double in the fifth) and two RBI. Sophomore Paige Gann blasted her first home run of the season.
 
Senior Kayce Wooldridge (9-4) tossed a two-hit shutout, while striking out five and walking just one. She gave up just two singles, both going to Tori Nienhueser. The rest of the Blue Tiger lineup finished 0-for-19. Wooldridge currently leads the MIAA in ERA (1.13), complete games (13) and shutouts (4). She is second in victories.
 
Madison Ragar (1-6) threw a complete game for Lincoln. She allowed seven runs on 10 hits, while striking out one and walking two.
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE 9, LINCOLN 2
Senior Megan Ewton hit two home runs in the second contest and the RiverHawks belted a season-high six doubles to ensure they would capture both victories on the day. Ewton drove home a career-high four runs, while scoring twice.
 
Lincoln took the lead in the first when Nienhueser hit a solo home run, but the RiverHawks posted four in the home half of the frame and never looked back. NSU entered the day with 10 first-inning runs the entire season and nearly doubled that total against the Blue Tigers.
 
Boyd was 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Gann and Harmon both finished 2-for-4 with a combined three runs batted in and two runs scored.
 
True freshman Taryn Gray (4-4) allowed a season-low three hits to pick up the complete-game victory in the circle. She conceded two runs, while striking out four and walking five.
 
Macie Kinsey (1-6) threw a complete game for LU, giving up nine runs on 11 hits in 6.0 frames. She struck out three and walked one.

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