MARYVILLE, Mo. – A parallel pair of pitching performances resulted in a doubleheader split between Missouri Western Softball and Northwest this Friday, marking an up-and-down day for both squads at Bearcat Softball Field.
GAME 1
MWSU 1. NWMSU 0
A complete pitching performance by
Sydney Rader mixed with pinch-hitting heroics by Si Culber helped Missouri Western shut Northwest out, 1-0, setting the tone for successful day for everyone in the circle. Still scoreless in the top of the fourth,
Chloe Armstrong walked with one out and advanced to second on a
Bubba Hoelscher single before swapping out with
Kate Voisin. The Griffons (19-20, 9-9 MIAA) grabbed the game's only run a batters later when Culver stepped in for
Kalyn Damgaard at the plate, slapping a two-out RBI single through the left side to score Voisin.
Rader struck out five Bearcats in game one, including two in a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to close out the game. With her eighth complete-game shutout this season. Rader improves to 12-7 as she collects her 11th complete game of 2022 – the fifth-most in the MIAA.
GAME 2
NWMSU 1, MWSU 0
Game two flipped the script against Missouri Western, as the Griffons left seven runners on base again and were on the wrong side of another 1-0 decision. The go-ahead run for the Bearcats (9-34, 3-15 MIAA) came in the bottom of the fifth when Aubrey Griffth singled to right field where
Taylor Hoelscher's errant throw back in allowed Avery Anderson to score. The Griffons had two runners on at first and second in the seventh, but
Sydni Hawkins' fielder's choice groundout to the shortstop sealed the deal.
Natalie Kissinger pitched her eighth complete game of the year, gave up zero earned runs, walked nobody and struck out two Bearcats. The sophomore falls to 7-11 wile Hayden Simmons struck out five in four innings for Northwest and moves to 3-10.
NEXT UP
Missoui Western stays on the road this coming week with a non-conference doubleheader this Wednesday at 2 and 4 p.m. against Truman State (7-28) in Kirksville. The Bulldogs are losers of eight straight and are 2-8 at home.
