Softball sweeps tournament showing

JOPLIN, Mo. — The Northwest softball team swept all four of its games in the Teri Mathis-Zenner Memorial Tournament over the weekend.

The Bearcats picked up wins over Rockhurst, 9-1; Drury, 2-0; McKendree, 6-0; and Sioux Falls, 5-1.

Wins over Rockhurst and Drury came on Saturday in the annual tournament. Freshman Rachel Smith (4-0) lasted all five innings with eight strikeouts and was lifted to victory on home runs from junior second baseman Torri Blythe, sophomore catcher Jessica Rawie and sophomore Abigail Gilson.

The 2-0 win over Drury featured senior starter Kendle Schieber tossing a complete game shutout over seven innings with six strikeouts.

On Sunday, senior Sarah Baldwin struck out 12 McKendree hitters over the course of seven shutout innings while junior third baseman Chantel Adams went 2-for-3 with two RBI.

Finally, the Bearcats rounded out the 4-0 weekend with a 5-1 win over Sioux Falls behind Schieber’s second complete game of the weekend. She allowed six hits and one run over seven innings while recording six punchouts. Four Northwest teammates had multi-hit games.

Northwest (10-2) will play its first home games and MIAA contests of the season at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Friday against No. 13 Central Oklahoma in Maryville. The Bearcats then host Northeastern State at noon Saturday.