WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Northeastern State softball team took down Central Missouri twice Friday evening at Jennies Field.
 
The RiverHawks (26-17, 11-7 MIAA) won the first game 11-3 and held on for a 3-2 triumph in the second contest. The Jennies (21-21, 10-10 MIAA) came into the day riding high following a midweek split with previously undefeated Pittsburg State.
 
Redshirt freshman Haley Acrey led NSU at the plate, as she finished 3-for-7 overall with three runs batted in, three runs scored and her fifth homer of the season. Sophomore Paige Gann went yard twice in the first game and now is tied for the team lead with eight homers this year.
 
Northeastern State will remain on the road for a pair of games against Southwest Baptist beginning at 1 p.m. April 9 in Bolivar, Missouri.
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE 11, CENTRAL MISSOURI 3
NSU exploded out of the gates with a five-run first inning and cruised to victory in the opener. The first inning was capped by a bases-clearing, three-RBI double from junior Ryan Martin. She entered the year with 26 career RBI, and she has already driven home 33 runs this season.
 
The RiverHawks added two in the third and four in the seventh to reach their season high for runs scored in a single game. NSU also belted 12 hits, with two each coming from Gann, Acrey, sophomore Jessica Boone, sophomore Bailey Applegate and true freshman Kelsey Harmon. Boone and Gann had two RBI, while Acrey and Gann scored twice.
 
Senior Kayce Wooldridge (19-6) continues to lead the MIAA in victories and ERA this season after adding to her career-high win total. She conceded three runs on four hits, while striking out four and walking two.
 
UCM's four hits were scattered throughout its lineup, with Katie Giacone recording two of the team's three RBI.
 
Allison Tonyan (7-6) started in the circle for the home team but did not make it out of the first inning, leaving after registering just two outs. She took the loss after giving up five runs on three hits, while also walking three. Jordan Johnson threw the remaining 6.1 frames and conceded six runs on nine hits.
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE 3, CENTRAL MISSOURI 2
Central Missouri had control of the second game for the first five innings, but it would be the visiting team that would have the last laugh. UCM scored in the first and fifth frames to take a 2-0 lead, but the RiverHawks pushed three across in the sixth and held off a late charge from the Jennies.
 
Ali Jo Rogers drew a leadoff walk and later scored on an RBI groundout from Emily King. Alexis Koop hit a two-out double and scored in the fifth on an RBI single from Rogers.
 
Gann started the comeback in the sixth inning with a one-out single, and Acrey blasted a home run to tie the game at 2-2. True freshman Baylee Ratliff then hit an infield single and stole second to move into scoring position. The game-winning hit came from Martin with two outs, as she was able to send a pitch through the left side that was enough to bring home Ratliff.
 
Central Missouri left three on base in the final two innings, including advancing Brittany Kendall to third in the bottom of the seventh.
 
UCM outhit NSU 6-5, and both teams committed one error.
 
Acrey finished with two RBI and one run scored.
 
True freshman Taryn Gray (5-6) threw the first 5.0 frames in the circle and picked up her first win since March 19. She allowed two runs (one earned) on just three hits, while striking out three and walking three. Wooldridge came back into the game and tossed the last two innings to collect her first save of the season and the sixth of her career.
 
Rogers and Koop had two hits each for the Jennies. Emily Robinson (8-9) suffered the loss after giving up all three runs on five hits, while striking out four and walking two.
 
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