TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State softball team officially qualified for the postseason after splitting with Pittsburg State Friday afternoon at RiverHawks Park.
 
The RiverHawks (31-20, 14-10 MIAA) are currently fifth in the MIAA standings and have secured either the No. 5 or No. 6 seed at the 2016 MIAA Softball Championship. The tournament will be contested April 28-30 at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
 
The Gorillas, who are rated as one of the region's top teams, moved to 35-16 overall and 18-6 in the conference. They are tied for second in the league table.    
 
Pittsburg State defeated Northeastern State 2-1 in the day's first game, but the green and white came back to blow past the Gorillas 10-3 in the second contest.
 
NSU is now set to close out the regular season against Missouri Southern State in a doubleheader beginning at noon April 23 at RiverHawks Park. The RiverHawks will honor their seniors between games.
 
PITTSBURG STATE 2, NORTHEASTERN STATE 1
PSU pitcher Emmie Robertson struck out 15 RiverHawks and threw a no-hitter in the first game to push the Gorillas past the home team.
 
The reigning MIAA Pitcher of the Year was dominant through the first six innings and carried a perfect game into the fifth. The Gorillas plated runs in the fifth and sixth frames, which would be all they would need to earn the first win of the day.
 
Robertson finally conceded a walk in the fifth, but three straight K's would squash any hopes of an NSU run. The RiverHawks finally got on the board in the bottom of the seventh and were even able to load the bases, but they could only push one across as PSU was able to hold on.
 
Senior Megan Ewton scored the lone run for NSU on an error. Ewton, sophomore Paige Gann and true freshmen Kyla Ibarra and Kelsey Harmon all drew walks in the game. Redshirst freshman Haley Acrey was hit by a pitch in the seventh.
 
Pittsburg State was only able to muster five hits, but Ashton Pratt and Myka Hayward both scored.
 
Senior Kayce Wooldridge (21-8) suffered the loss in the circle after giving up just two runs (one earned) on five hits in 7.0 innings. She struck out one and walked one. She will enter the final day of the regular season narrowly leading the MIAA in ERA (1.40), wins (21), complete games (26) and innings pitched (199.2).
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE 10, PITTSBURG STATE 3
NSU was finally able to crack the hit column in the third inning, and the green and white then erupted for eight runs in the fifth frame to blow past Pittsburg State in the second game.
 
Sophomore Kaleigh Hinkle led off the third and fifth innings with solo home runs, marking the first two-HR game of her career. She finished 2-for-2 and tied her career high with three runs batted in, as she walked in a run later in the fifth.
 
Sophomore Jessica Boone was also 2-for-4, and she tallied two RBI and one run. Acrey drove home two runs, and junior Ryan Martin scored twice.
 
True freshman Taryn Gray (8-7) earned the win in the circle after giving up three runs on eight hits in 5.0 innings. She is now 4-1 in her last five decisions. Senior Delaney Gray made her first appearance since April 2 and responded by throwing two shutout innings. She only conceded one hit, while striking out three.
 
Morgan Myers (13-6) was saddled with the loss after conceding nine runs on eight hits in just 4.1 frames. Robertson was called upon to finish out the game, and she threw the final 1.2 innings. She again did not give up a hit, but she issued three walks and did allow an earned run.
 
Pratt, Nicole Nease and Catie Cummins all had two hits for the visiting team.

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