TAHLEQUAH— Northeastern State softball returns to the road this week, playing four neutral contests in Branson, Mo. on Tuesday and Wednesday before facing MIAA foes Missouri Western (Friday at 2/4 p.m.) and Northwest Missouri (Saturday at 12/2 p.m.) in league doubleheaders at the end of the week.

The RiverHawks (5-13, 0-4 MIAA) faced a pair of doubleheader sweeps at the hands of Washburn and Emporia State last weekend and seek their first conference win entering the second week of MIAA action.

Key Players to Watch:

- Korynn Tindel went four-of-four at the plate and knocked in three runs while scoring three of her own in the early game of Saturday's doubleheader against Emporia State. Her production at the plate against the Hornets included two doubles. Tindel also struck out two inside the circle in last Friday's early contest against Washburn.
- Maddie Messenger recorded six hits last week, including a three-hit effort against Washburn last Friday. The 2024 All-MIAA talent ranks second on the team in batting average (.367) and is tied for the team lead in home runs (three). 
- Madison Heinle claimed four hits across last week's action and leads the team with a .419 batting average entering the middle of March. 

NSU's slate in Branson sees them face four different opponents in the span of two days. The RiverHawks clash with NCCAA foe Ecclesia and a DII opponent from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) in Northern State on Tuesday. Wednesday has the RiverHawks facing another NSIC foe in Augustana and the Great Lakes Valley Conference's (GLVC) McKendree later in the day.

The Ecclesia contest is a first-time matchup, while the RiverHawks defend a four-game winning streak against Northern State. Only five and three contests have been held against Augustana and McKendree, respectively. NSU will push for a multi-game advantage in the all-time series against Augustana, which sits at 3-2 currently. Meanwhile, Wednesday's date against McKendree will be their first against the Bearcats since 2018.

The MIAA doubleheaders later in the week will see NSU battle a Griffons team that enters the week at 12-7 overall and a Bearcats squad that enters at 10-11. The RiverHawks mark Missouri Western's first home doubleheader inside of MIAA play, while Northwest Missouri will host Rogers State on Friday before welcoming NSU to Bearcat Softball Field on Saturday. Northeastern seeks to halt a five-game losing skid to the Griffons, dating back to 2022. Meanwhile, the RiverHawks have won three of the last five against the Bearcats, but lost both of last season's meetings in Maryville, Mo. in shortened affairs, where NSU was limited to just three runs of offense across the doubleheader on Apr. 6, 2024.