The Northwest Missouri State softball team picked up a pair of conference victories against Fort Hays State Sunday afternoon in Maryville.
Northwest rattled off 14 hits in game one, topping the Tigers 7-1.
Sarah Baldwin tossed a three-hit shutout in the nightcap, helping Northwest to a 3-0 victory.
The Bearcats improved their record to 29-9 this season and 13-5 in the MIAA, with the Tigers falling to 13-24 overall and 7-13 in conference action.
Game One Key Statistics (Northwest 7, Fort Hays State 1)
– Eight of the nine Bearcat starters recorded at least one hit as Northwest outhit Fort Hays, 14-3.
– Kendle Schieber (16-4) added another complete game victory to her resume, striking out six Tiger batters while allowing just three hits and one unearned run. The senior faced the minimum three batters in three different innings, allowing multiple baserunners only in the sixth inning.
– Shortstop Rebecca Maher drove in two runs with her first triple of the season in the third inning, finishing 2-for-4 and scoring two runs.
– Jaedra Moses picked up three hits and scored a pair of runs.
– Jessica Rawie rattled off three singles in the contest, driving in one run.
– Center fielder Kiana Baderdeen finished 2-for-3 with a triple and one run scored.
– Chantel Adams knocked an RBI double in her second at bat, finishing 1-for-4.
– Second baseman Torri Blythe scored a run and drove in another, finishing 1-for-4.
– Freshman Alexis Kelsey scored a run after singling in her final at bat.
Game One Key Innings
– The Bearcats opened the scoring with three runs in the bottom of the third after Blythe and Moses each reached on infield singles. Maher knocked them both in with a triple that caught the chalk behind first base and rolled into the right field corner. Adams roped a double over the left fielder’s head two batters later, scoring Maher.
– Baderdeen led off the fourth with a lined single to right that slid past the Tiger defender, allowing the freshman to reach third. Blythe knocked her in with an RBI groundout before Moses knocked a solid single up the middle. After Maher lined a single over the shortstop, Adams lifted a fly ball to right that was dropped by the right fielder, allowing a pair of runs to score.
– Northwest added an insurance run in the bottom of sixth when Kelsey ripped a two-out single through the left side. Adams sent a grounder to second that would have been the final out, but the second baseman’s errant throw prolonged the inning, allowing Kelsey to advance to third. Rawie made the Tigers pay when she reached on a slow roller to short, scoring Kelsey and putting the Bearcats in front, 7-1.
Game Two Key Statistics (Northwest 3, Fort Hays State 0)
– Sarah Baldwin (7-4) picked up her fourth complete game shutout of the year, giving up just three hits while striking out four Tigers. Baldwin allowed just to batters to reach second base.
– Senior Madison Jones crushed her 11th career home run, driving in a pair of runs after finishing 2-for-3.
– Catcher Jessica Rawie scored a run after doubling in the sixth.
– Torri Blythe reached base twice with a walk and a double.
Game Two Key Innings
– Jaedra Moses made a sliding catch in the top of the fifth to get out of a two on, two out jam.
– The Bearcats broke through in the bottom of the fifth when Jones hit a leadoff home run to right field. Kiana Baderdeen reached on an error by the third baseman before Blythe doubled down the right field line, putting runners in scoring position with no outs. Rebecca Maher plated Baderdeen two batters later when she grounded out to first.
– Northwest added a third run in the sixth when Rawie lifted a soaring fly ball towards left field that ended up finding the grass in right center due to the stiff wind. Rawie scored from second two batters later when Jones knocked a sharp single up the middle.
Up Next
– The 10-game Bearcat homestand will conclude next weekend when Northwest hosts Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern on Friday, April 8 and Saturday, April 9, repsectively. First pitch with the Gorillas is slated for 2 p.m., while the action will commence Saturday at noon. Northwest will be honoring its seniors before Saturday’s contests.
— Northwest Athletics —