MARYVILLE, MO. – Missouri Western State and Northwest Missouri State fired dueling shutouts in MIAA action Friday, April 12.
 
The host Bearcats got the pitching circle showdown going in game one. Jayden Streigle locked up the Griffons on five hits while striking out three at NWSU Softball Field. MWSU senior Sydney Rader (Norfolk, Neb.) was almost up to the task of her counterpart, allowing the same number of safeties and striking out six in a narrow 3-0 defeat.
 
It was more of a recent red-hot streak from senior Natalie Kissinger (Hastings, Neb.). She increased her shutout string to 12 and two-thirds innings with a second successive complete-game blanking, surrendering just two hits and striking out four during a 5-0 Gold and Black win. Sophomore third baseman Mariah Dwyer (St. Joseph, Mo.) singled in a pair of runs during a four-run fourth attack; junior center fielder Taylor Jones (Hallsville, Mo.) rapped out two hits and drove in one; and junior second baseman Bubba Hoelscher (Papillion, Neb.) drove in a run as part of continuing a modest four-game hit streak to aid Kissinger's gem.
 
Head coach Joe Yegge's squad, improving to 25-15 overall and 9-9 in conference play, begins six in a row at home Friday, April 19. Missouri Southern is the Griffons' guest for a 2 p.m. doubleheader.