TAHLEQUAH – Northeastern State enters the second week of their road trip with doubleheaders against Newman and #9 Central Oklahoma.
The RiverHawks dropped road doubleheaders at Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri the previous week.
The Setup
- Northeastern State is in its first season with Rachel Rhode as the head softball coach. She has experience as an assistant at Truman State (2021-22) and Bemidji State (2019-20).
- The RiverHawks enter the campaign after a 30-win result in 2023, the team's sixth straight winning season and their second 30-win effort since 2018. A 12-14 MIAA record resulted in NSU missing the league's postseason tournament for the second time in three seasons.
- Northeastern State's 26-game MIAA schedule continues with this week's doubleheaders.
Around the Diamond
- The offense secured their third multi-homer event of the year by sending two blasts against Northwest Missouri in the late game on Saturday. Going yard for the third time each this year were Addy Wolfe and Allison Zanca.
- Addy Wolfe finished with a base hit in every game last week and will look to extend the hitting streak this week . Wolfe leads all regulars with a .298 batting average alongside three home runs on the season.
- Madison Heinle had a two-RBI performance offensively in the opening game against Missouri Western on Friday, adding to a solid year at the plate that's seen the Arkansan drive home ten runs, tied for the second most on the team.
- Emily Sampson netted another strong week with three base hits and adding a RBI. The senior leads the team with 23 RBI on the year.
- The free ride was a little more frequent in the opening bout against Missouri Western on Friday, as the team drew seven walks to tie for their most in a single MIAA matchup for the campaign.
Northeastern State at Newman (Apr. 12 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.) // Live Coverage
About Newman (15-25, 3-11 MIAA)
- Newman dropped three of four games the previous week, with their lone win in the early contest against Lincoln last Friday.
- Andrea Gustafson is in her fifth year leading Newman softball, while her career has seen her claim over 600 wins. Her playing career saw her draw multiple all-league honors in the Pac-10 with Oregon.
- Newman is tenth in batting average (.267) and 12th in homers (eight). Hayley Bonython (.371, five HR) leads the offense.
- The pitching staff holds the largest earned run average (5.72) in the conference and is 11th in strikeouts (138).
Series Notes
- Northeastern has won 14 of 15 all-time encounters.
- The RiverHawks have swept the Jets in the last three doubleheaders, with NSU finishing with at least seven runs in every game across the streak.
- The history between the squads dates back to their first game against each other in 1995 in Oklahoma City. Since then, they battled multiple times as non-conference opponents in the 2010s until Newman joined the conference in 2019.
Northeastern State at #9 Central Oklahoma (Apr. 13 at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.) // Live Coverage
About #9 Central Oklahoma (33-7, 13-1 MIAA)
- With less than a month left in the regular season, the Bronchos have placed themselves among the nation's elite with a top ten ranking in the latest NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll, while their conference mark has them placing second in the conference standings entering this week's games.
- The Bronchos hosts #4 Rogers State on Friday before meeting the RiverHawks to end the week.
- Cody White is the head softball coach at UCO, currently working his 11th season in Edmond, Okla. White reached 400 wins with the Bronchos last season, while he's led the program to eight national tournament appearances and seven 40+ win seasons.
- The Bronchos make a strong case for being a top offense in the MIAA with the most home runs (47) and holding the second position in batting average (.327) across the league, while their pitching holds the third-lowest ERA in the league (1.96).
Series Notes
- UCO holds the lead in the all-time series at 62-36.
- A win against the then-#4 Bronchos at RiverHawks Park last season ended a six-game losing streak to Central Oklahoma.
- The series began in 1996, with the schools meeting annually since.
Coming Up
Northeastern State returns home to host Oklahoma Baptist on Apr. 16.
