Rochester, Minn. -  The Northern State University softball team opened up their 2016 season on the road competing in the WSU Dome Tournament against a pair of regional MIAA teams. The Wolves handed Northwest Missouri States their first loss of the season, with a 2-1 victory in extra innings. NSU then fell to Washburn University 0-4 in another eight inning match-up, recording a split for the day.
 
Game One – Northwest Missouri State
 
Kelsey Gale, leading off for Northern State in the top of the first, connected for a homerun to left field to put the Wolves up 1-0 in her senior debut. After an early bomb, both teams struggled to string together hits offensively, until the bottom of the fifth inning when Northwest Missouri State entered pinch hitter, Madison Jones. Jones homered to right center to tie up the game, 1-1.
 
With two outs in the top of the fifth, NWMSU drew a walk and singled through the left side. After a wild pitch advancing the runners to second and third, junior pitcher Missy Elkins struck Chantel Adams out looking.
 
Locked in at 1-1 after seven innings, the two teams were forced into an international tiebreaker. Sophomore Michaela Liebl was placed on second base and soon advanced to third after a sacrifice bunt from Lauren Kunz. With one out, Kelsey Gale responded by hitting a double to right center to score Liebl. With the 2-1 lead in bottom of the eighth, Missy Elkins completed the 1-2-3 inning to seal the NSU victory.
 
Senior Kelsey Gale led the Wolves offensively against the Bearcats, batting .750 with two RBI's off of a homerun and a game-winning double.  Courtney Moore followed up, going 2-3 with a pair of hard hits through the infield. Missy Elkins recorded the win for Northern State, holding Northwest Missouri to one run in eight innings and notching four strikeouts in the match-up. 
 
Game Two – Washburn University
 
The Wolves were slow to get the bats going in game two, as they were held to just two hits through the bottom of the seventh. Freshman pitcher Jamie Fisher, along with solid defense from NSU held Washburn to a shutout in seven innings of play, leaving nine opposing players on base.
 
The top of eighth began once again with an international tiebreaker. The Ichabods singled in their first at bat to place runners on first and third with no outs. Cassidy Merriman drew a walk for Washburn to load the bases. After a throwing error by NSU, the next batter, Erin Keeney, homered to right center to put the Ichabods up 4-0. Fisher then forced two groundouts to short and strikeout looking to wrap up the top of the eighth.
 
Northern looked to respond in the bottom of the eighth as Courtney Moore was placed on second base. The Wolves hit into an infield pop out, a grounder to the short stop and a fly out to right field to conclude the game.
 
Kelsey Gale recorded the two hits for Northern State, going 5-8 on the day. NSU drew one walk, two hit by pitches and two steals from Lauren Kunz and Jenna Helgeson offensively. Freshman Jamie Fisher completed eight innings of work, holding the Ichabods to three earned runs and recording three strikeouts in her first collegiate outing.
 
The Wolves will continue action from the WSU Dome Tournament tomorrow with games against Pittsburg State and Washburn University at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m..