The Northwest Missouri State softball team took an extra inning 7-6 win over Lindenwood to earn a split as the Bearcats fell 5-3 in the nightcap Saturday in non-conference softball action from Bearcat Field.
The Bearcats stayed even on the season at 9-9 while the Lions moved to 5-13 on the season. Northwest will host Wayne State in non-conference action to close out a six-game home stand at Bearcat Field Tuesday at 2 p.m.
In the first game of the day the Bearcats needed extra innings and took advantage of a Lindenwood error that allowed Jordan Ereth to score the game winning run. Molly Baker grounded sharply to the shortstop, but the error allowed Baker to reach safely and Ereth to round third for the game winning run.
Northwest built a 6-1 lead as Kristine Labertew led off the fourth inning with a home run. Two batters later Jordan Ereth tripled and scored when Josie Van Houten singled.
A pair of Lions’ errors aided the final two runs for the Bearcats, but Lindenwood would battle back to tie the game in the top of the seventh inning.
Jenna Creger pitched seven innings for Northwest to earn a no-decision, as she struck out eight and walked three.
Morgan Brunmeier pitched a perfect eighth setting up the Bearcat bottom half of the inning.
Ereth went 2-for-5 and scored three runs as three other Bearcats finished with two hits in the opener.
In game two, Northwest got another solid outing in the circle from Abbie Vitosh, but the Bearcats were not able to rally a second time falling 5-3.
Vitosh pitched 6.1 innings scattering eight hits and striking out six. The freshman only walked one and allowed five runs, four of which were earned in the loss.
The Bearcats fell behind 3-0, but a Kristen Uthe three-run homer tied the game in the bottom of the fifth.
Lindenwood answered with two more runs in the top of the sixth to go up 5-3, which proved to be the final score.
Uthe went 2-for-4 as her three RBIs were the only runs driven in for Northwest in the nightcap.
Van Houten also went 2-for-3 in the loss.
— NWMSU Sports Information —