The Northwest Missouri State softball team opened the 2016 MIAA Softball Championship Tournament with a run-rule victory before falling in the second round Thursday evening at the ASA Hall of Fame Complex in Oklahoma City, Okla.
– Behind a pair of home runs from Jessica Rawie and a complete game shutout from Kendle Schieber, the second-seeded Bearcats topped seventh-seeded Fort Hays State in the first round, 10-0 in five innings.
– The Bearcats fell behind early after a 2 hour, 18 minute break and were unable to bounce back, falling to Central Oklahoma, 5-1.
– Northwest is now 37-13 on the season, while the Tigers fell to 21-29 overall and UCO moved to 38-16.
– Schieber earned her 21st victory of the season, the most victories in a single season in program history.
Round One Key Statistics (Northwest 10, Fort Hays State 0, five innings)
– Rawie drove in six runs on her two long balls, giving her eight home runs on the year and the 31st multi-home run game in Northwest history.
– Schieber (21-5) gave up just two hits in her fourth complete game shutout of the season, striking out two and walking none.
– Chantel Adams finished 3-for-3 with a double, driving in two runs and scoring two more.
– Freshman Alexis Kelsey reached base in all three plate appearances, walking twice and doubling in the fourth. The first baseman scored three runs and drove in one.
– Shortstop Rebecca Maher scored a pair of runs, finishing 1-for-3 with a double.
– Torri Blythe crossed the plate once after reaching on a bunt single and stole her 21st base of the season.
Round One Key Innings
– Northwest took advantage of a defensive miscue by the Tigers to score a pair of unearned runs in the first. Maher sent a routine ground ball to short that would have been the final out of the inning, but the FHSU defender bobbled it before making a late throw to first. A walk to Kelsey set the stage for Adams, who sent the first pitch over the left fielder’s head for a two RBI double.
– The Bearcats extended their lead in the bottom of the third when Kelsey worked her second walk of the day. A single off the bat of Adams put two runners on for Rawie, who crushed the first pitch she saw over the fence just to the right of center, handing Northwest a 5-0 edge.
– Blythe led off the fourth with a bunt single before advancing to second with a stolen base. Maher then sent a double to the fence in left field, driving in Blythe. A second-straight RBI double off the bat of Kelsey allowed Maher to score before Adams reached with her third hit of the night. Rawie again cleared the bases, this time with a deep drive to left center, extending the Bearcat lead to 10-0.
– Schieber retired the side in order three times, never facing more than four batters in an inning.
Round Two Key Statistics (Northwest 1, Central Oklahoma 5)
– Freshman Kiana Baderdeen singled twice, finishing 2-for-3.
– Alexis Kelsey drew a pair of walks for the second-straight game, finishing 1-for-2 with an RBI single.
– Shortstop Rebecca Maher scored after singling in the bottom of the fourth.
– Torri Blythe reached base on a single, a walk and an error.
– Outfielder Jaedra Moses connected with her first base knock of the postseason in the third.
– Sarah Baldwin (10-6) allowed three earned runs on five hits, striking out one Broncho batter.
– Kendle Schieber came out of left field to throw the final 4.1 innings, striking out four and surrendering one lone run on two hits.
Round Two Key Innings
– UCO jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the second inning before doubling the gap in the third with two more runs.
– Northwest clawed back with a run in the fourth after Maher led off with a single to right past a leaping second baseman. Kelsey sent a single to center in the next at bat that crept past a diving Broncho defender. Maher rounded third as the throw was coming to the plate and slid head first just before the tag was applied.
– The Bearcats stranded runners in scoring position in five innings.
– Schieber struck out the side on 11 pitches in the fifth.
Up Next
– Northwest will meet up with No. eight seed Southwest Baptist in an elimination game Friday morning at 11 a.m. The winner of that game will advance to play the winner of fourth-seeded Pittsburg State and sixth-seeded Central Missouri at 1:30 p.m.
— Northwest Athletics —