CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Northeastern State softball team won a pair of non-conference games against Rogers State Tuesday night at Diamond Sports Complex.
 
The RiverHawks (28-19) won the first contest 8-5 and run-ruled the Hillcats (17-27) 11-1 in the nightcap.
 
NSU stands just two victories shy of becoming the second team in school history to reach the 30-win plateau. Northeastern State is also now guaranteed to finish with a winning record for the first time since 2013 and for the second time since 2008.
 
Senior Kayce Wooldridge (20-7) earned the win in the circle in the first game and is now the first pitcher in school history to reach 20 victories in a single season. She also extended her school records in career victories (59) and strikeouts (376).
 
She is currently in the top three in the MIAA in seven categories, including victories, ERA (1.49), complete games (24), shutouts (6), innings pitched (182.2), opponent batting average (.227), and strikeouts (139).
 
The sweep by the RiverHawks also increased their win streak to seven straight games over the Hillcats. They are 9-1 over RSU in the last 10 meetings.
 
Northeastern State is now set to head into the stretch run of the regular season, which begins with the final road trip of the year. NSU will face Emporia State in an MIAA doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. April 15 in Emporia, Kansas.
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE 8, ROGERS STATE 5
NSU started out slow and fell behind 3-1 after three innings, but the visitors plated five runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to pull ahead for good in the opener.
 
Rogers State outhit NSU 12-10, and the RiverHawks finished with three errors to two from the Hillcats.
 
Juniors Madison Boyd and Ryan Martin, sophomore Paige Gann and true freshman Kelsey Harmon all finished with two hits. Gann tallied two RBI, and Martin scored twice.
 
Wooldridge conceded five runs (four earned) on 12 hits in throwing all 7.0 innings. She struck out seven and walked just one.
 
The home team used three pitchers, with Mayra Helguera earning the start. She gave up one run on six hits and left with a no-decision after 4.1 innings. Rachel Jones conceded one run on no hits in 1.0 frames, and Jessica Christian (9-14) suffered the loss after allowing six runs on four hits in the final 1.2 frames. She walked four and did not record a strikeout.
 
Arika Araujo paced RSU with a 3-for-4 effort. Ashleigh Stidman, Taylor Sutterfield and Jamie Kowalick all had two hits. Stidman scored twice and Sutterfield hit a two-run homer.
 
The RiverHawks turned three double plays in the opener, which marked the most in a single game since March 14, 2014 (Pittsburg State).
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE 11, ROGERS STATE 1 (5 innings)
Both teams plated one run in the first inning and maintained the 1-1 tie for the first three frames. The RiverHawks then touched up the Hillcats for three in the fourth and seven in the fifth to run away from the home team and post the second run-rule victory over Rogers State this season.
 
Gann and redshirt freshman Haley Acrey both hit home runs in the contest, and Acrey finished 1-for-2 with three runs batted in and two runs scored. Gann now has 10 homers this season and has reached double digits in both years donning the green and white.
 
Boyd was 1-for-3 with two RBI, and true freshman Baylee Ratliff finished 2-for-3 with a pair of runs. Harmon also tallied three RBI.
 
True freshman Taryn Gray (6-7) allowed just one run on five hits in the circle, while throwing her fifth complete game of the season.
 
Stidman had two of RSU's five hits, and the rest of the Hillcats combined to finish just 3-for-15.
 
Helguera (3-5) started again for Rogers State and was saddled with the loss this time around. She gave up three runs on three hits in 3.0 innings. Christian tossed the next 1.2 frames and allowed eight runs on five hits.
 
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