The Northwest Missouri State softball team had to overcome wind gusts over 30 mph to sweep Truman State Sunday at Bearcat Field winning game one 8-3 and game two 4-2.
Truman State took the lead in the third inning as they scored first going up 1-0. The Bearcats responded quickly in the bottom half of the inning putting up four runs of their own. Candace Miller doubled in Rachel Schmitz from third base for the team’s first run. Hailee Hendricks singled to left field to plate Jordan Ereth. Miller and Hendricks both scored later in the inning to go up 4-1.
Schmitz stepped back up to the plate in the fourth inning and promptly hit her first home run of the year, a solo shot over the left field wall to put her team up 5-1.
The Bulldogs put up a single run in the top of the fifth inning to cut their deficit to three runs. In the bottom half of the inning Kristin Uthe came up with two runners on and hit a three run blast to go back up 8-2.
Truman State was able to scratch out one more run in the top of the sixth inning but that would be it as Jenna Creger picked up the win in the 8-3 victory. Creger snagged her 10th win of the season as she gave up three earned runs while striking out seven on her way to the complete game.
Abbie Vitosh got the ball for game two. Vitosh came into the game having won four of her last five starts and striking out a season high eight batters against Lindenwood on Saturday. The sophomore went the distance for the complete game victory giving up only four hits and allowing two earned runs.
Truman State went up early scoring one run in the third inning and adding another run in the fourth inning to go up 2-0.
Northwest started a two out nightmare for in the bottom of the fifth inning when Schmitz dropped her second home run of the day to dead center field to cut the lead in half. Ereth then came up and beat out an infield single and later scored on a two out triple by Miller to tie the game up at 2-2.
Uthe double to lead off the sixth inning and was pinch ran for by Sarah Krysl. Krysl scored off the bat of Kristine Labertew who singled up the middle to get the RBI. Schmitz put an exclamation point on her day by hitting a sacrifice fly to right center field that scored Stephanie Price from third for the final run of the ball game as the Bearcats won 4-2.
Rachel Schmitz was 3 for 5 at the plate in both games hitting two home runs, with three RBIs, scoring three runs and having 26 putouts at first base.
Northwest improves their record to 22-12 and 10-8 in MIAA play. The Bearcats will be back in action on Bearcat Field taking on Emporia State Friday in a double-header slated to start at 2 p.m. with game two set to follow. The seniors will be honored during Saturday’s double-header against Washburn as first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
— NWMSU Sports Information —