The Northwest Missouri State softball team came out swinging in day two of the Arkansas-Monticello 8-State Classic, defeating Harding University, 13-5, in game one and Illinois-Springfield in game two, 4-1.
Chantel Adams had a coming out party with the bat in game one, driving in her first collegiate home run over the fence in the first inning to put her team up 3-0. Adams wasn’t done as she stepped to the plate in the third inning. The freshman promptly deposited her second home run of the game over the left field fence. Adams finished the game 3 for 3 with one walk and four RBIs.
Taszia Roseberry got in on the long ball action with her first home run of the season coming in the top of the sixth inning. Roseberry finished with two RBI’s.
Kristin Uthe added three RBI’s of her own , while Torri Blythe and Steph Mark accounted for the final two runs batted in in the 13-5 victory.
Pitcher Stephanie Baldwin earned her first win of the season going the distance for the complete game while giving up only five hits and striking out five.
Game two was a tightly fought contest from the start as Illinois-Springfield jumped out to a one run lead in the first inning.
Uthe singled in Jordan Ereth in the third inning to tie the game at 1-1. Later in the same inning, Torrie Blythe scored off a sacrifice fly by Mark to give her team the 2-1 lead.
Maddie Jones crossed the plate in the fourth inning when Torrie Blythe singled up the middle to give the Bearcats an insurance run to put them up, 3-1.
Northwest was able to get across one more run in the bottom of the sixth when Uthe knocked in her second RBI of the game.
Abbie Vitosh was stellar from the circle as she allowed one run over seven innings while striking out six on her way to the 4-1 victory.
The Bearcats move to 2-2 on the season and will play their final two games of the Classic on Sunday. Northwest will take on Quincy University in game onewith first pitch slated for 1:30 pm. Game two is scheduled to start at 3:30 pm against Northwestern Oklahoma State.
— Northwest Sports Information —