EMPORIA, Kan. – The Northeastern State softball team earned a pair of road victories against Emporia State Friday night at Turnbull Field.
 
The RiverHawks (30-19, 13-9 MIAA) posted triumphs of 4-2 and 3-1 margins to reach the 30-win plateau for the second time in school history. NSU is now looking to chase down the 2007 club (33-14) that currently holds the school's all-time wins mark.
 
Northeastern State needed just nine hits total on the day to earn the sweep over the home team, while the green and white held the Hornets (19-30, 7-15 MIAA) to nine hits of their own.
 
The RiverHawks used the victories to remain in fifth place in the MIAA standings, and they are now just one half game away from clinching a spot in the 2016 MIAA Championship. The conference tournament will be held April 28-30 at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
 
Northeastern State is set to close out the regular season with a pair of home doubleheaders. The first will be against Pittsburg State and will begin at 1 p.m. April 22 at RiverHawks Park.
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE 4, EMPORIA STATE 2
The RiverHawks used a pair of unearned runs in the fifth inning to break a 2-2 tie and earn the first victory of the day.
 
NSU got on the board when a two-out RBI single from sophomore Jessica Boone in the top of the third plated junior Ryan Martin. Emporia State took a 2-1 lead after Caitlin VanVleck and Katie Yoakum scored unearned tallies in the home half of the third.
 
The visitors tied the game in the top of the fourth thanks to senior Megan Ewton using an error to find her way home.
 
The two game-winning runs came from Martin and true freshman Kelsey Harmon. Martin led off the fifth with a single, and Harmon followed that up with an infield single. A sacrifice bunt moved them over 60 feet, and they both later scored on a two-out throwing error from the shortstop.
 
Martin had two of NSU's five hits and also scored twice.
 
Senior Kayce Wooldridge (21-7) threw a complete game and only conceded two unearned runs on five hits. She struck out six and walked just one to earn the victory.
 
Eryn Stockman (12-12) suffered the loss after giving up four runs on five hits in 7.0 frames. She struck out six and walked two. No Hornet had more than one hit.
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE 3, EMPORIA STATE 1
Northeastern State scored twice before the home team had a chance to respond, and the RiverHawks never looked back in the nightcap.
 
Boone led off the game with a single, and junior Madison Boyd followed with a walk. Ewton sacrificed the runners over one base, and Boone scored on an RBI groundout from sophomore Paige Gann. Redshirt freshman Haley Acrey later reached on an error, which plated Boyd.
 
Gann drove in Boyd in the third to help NSU move ahead 3-0, and the Hornets could only muster one run the rest of the way.
 
Boyd finished 1-for-3 with two runs scored. Gann drove in a pair of RiverHawks.
 
True freshman Taryn Gray (7-7) threw the first 4.0 innings in the circle to earn the win. She gave up one run on four hits, while walking three and striking out two. Wooldridge re-entered to toss the final 3.0 frames, and she collected her second save of the year after not giving up a hit or run.
 
Holly Hinkel (5-12) threw a complete game for Emporia State in a losing effort. She allowed three runs on four hits, while walking three and striking out one.
 
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