If you win, you’re in, described the final series for the Northwest Missouri State softball team as they took on Lincoln University with a shot at the MIAA tournament on the line, and win they did winning game one 13-2 and taking game two 6-5 on Tuesday.
The Bearcat offense opened up the first game with nine run first inning to get on top early.
Kylie Cantrell added an RBI in the second inning to go up 10-0. Lincoln battled back to score two runs of their own in the top of the third.
Kristine Labertew added another insurance run in the third when she knocked in Hailee Hendricks from second to move the score to 11-2.
Northwest added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth before Jenna Creger shut the door in the top of the fifth to secure the 13-2 run rule victory.
Creger received the victory in the complete game giving up only three hits and striking out two.
Going into game two the Bearcats needed one more victory to get into the postseason tournament.
The Blue Tigers came out swinging in the first, going up on Northwest 2-0. Kristen Uthe hit a two out double to score Jordan Ereth from second to bring her team within one in the bottom half.
The Bearcats tied the game in the bottom of the second on a solo home run off the bat of Kylie Cantrell. Maddie Jones then stepped up and hit her first triple of the season. Tori Beckman was installed as a pinch runner and was knocked in by Ereth who singled through the left side to take the lead 3-2.
Lincoln came back to take the lead in the top of the third scoring two to go up 4-3.
In the bottom of the third inning Cantrell stepped back up to the plate with the tying and go-ahead runs on with Hendricks on third base and Uthe at second. Cantrell proceeded to hit her second home run of the game giving her team a 6-4 lead.
“Before this year I’d never hit two home runs in a season let alone in one game,” said Cantrell of her two home run day. “I’m just excited to be heading back to the conference tournament.”
The Blue Tigers were able to scratch across one more run but the Bearcats pitchers thwarted any idea of a comeback and sealed the 6-5 victory.
Abbie Vitosh got the win in game two going 5.2 innings giving up five earned runs and striking out four. Jenna Creger got her first save of the season as she went the final 1.1 innings surrendering only one hit.
Head Coach Ryan Anderson will be taking his team to their fourth consecutive trip to the MIAA conference tournament. Northwest finishes the regular season 27-17, 15-13. The Bearcats will meet up with No. 1 seed Central Oklahoma in the first round of the tournament Thursday in Kansas City, Mo. with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.
— Northwest Sports Information —