KEARNEY, Neb. – Northeastern State softball earned two critical road wins Saturday as they swept Nebraska-Kearney 3-2 and 4-1. The victory moves the RiverHawks one game back of Fort Hays State for the final postseason spot into next week's MIAA Tournament.
The RiverHawks (29-20, 11-13 MIAA) meet Fort Hays State Sunday in what will be an early postseason play-in series.
In the opener, Kearney struck in the first scoring a run on a double down the left-field line. The Loper lead was short-lived, and in the next frame, NSU tied the game on a
Jaeden Rosenquist single up the middle.
Raegan Edwards pulled the RiverHawks ahead in the same inning, scoring the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice RBI.
Savannah Evans extended the NSU lead to 3-1 in the fourth, hitting a two-out RBI single to left field.
The Lopers (16-32, 7-17 MIAA) cut into the NSU lead in the sixth, scoring on a two-out single, and managed to get the tying run to second in the seventh before
Madison Heinle closed the game out for the save opportunity.
NSU was limited to four hits, with Evans striking out five batters to move to 11–11 in the circle.
In the nightcap,
Allison Zanca broke a scoreless game in the second, bringing in a run on a single to center. NSU added two more runs in the third, with Evans hitting her 14th homer of the year on the second pitch of her at-bat.
A throwing error by the Lopers in the fifth with runners on the corners for the RiverHawks allowed a run to come home and bring the lead to 4-0 in favor of NSU.
The Lopers scored their lone run in the sixth on a two-out single to center field.
Delaney Mills went 3-for-3 at the plate as the RiverHawks out-hit UNK 11-to-9. Heinle struck out six batters and moved to 12-7 on the year.
Northeastern State closes its regular season Sunday with a noon doubleheader at Fort Hays State.
