St. Joseph, Mo. – The Northern State University softball team went 1-1 on the first day in Missouri with a 9-8 win over the host Missouri Western and 6-5 loss to Washburn. NSU is now 10-8 overall heading into a double header tomorrow in Maryville.
 
The Wolves scored first against the Griffons as Kennady Thompson singled in Courtney Sjerven who had reached base on an error by the shortstop to lead off the game. MWSU quickly answered back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first, and tacked on another four in the second, taking the 6-1 lead.
 
Northern began to chip away in the top of the fourth, led off by Jamie Fisher with a double to right centerfield. Makenzie Merritt was walked the following at-bat, before Madison Rutter notched a pinch hit single scoring Fisher. Merritt and Rutter both came around to score in the following plate appearance, as Sjerven doubled to dead center. The Wolves combined for three hits, all doubles, and three runs in the inning, bringing the score within two.
 
NSU grabbed the lead in the top of the fifth, combined for four runs on five hits. Katie Dawson led off the inning with a single, while Thompson tallied a 6-pitch walk, leaving runners on first and second for Fisher, who singled to right plating one. Merritt then stepped to the plate and belted the first homerun of her Northern State career, a shot to left field, which scored three and gave the Wolves the 8-7 lead.
 
The Griffons tied things at 8-all in the bottom frame of the fifth, however Northern was not done yet. Thompson led off the top of the sixth with a double down the right field line. The sophomore advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Cassidy Schaar and came around to score the decisive run on a sacrifice fly to center by Fisher. The Wolves head MWSU at bay, as the Griffons threatened in the sixth and seventh notching two hits and leaving three on base.
 
Merritt grabbed her fourth win of the season on the mound, throwing 3.1 innings and giving up two earned runs on three hits. Fisher entered in relief throwing the final 3.2 innings for her third save of the season.
 
As a team the Wolves combined for 12 hits, nine runs scored, and nine RBI. They forced five walks, and left nine runners on base. NSU busted out six extra base hits, including a season high five doubles.
 
­­Fisher led the team offensively going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored, two RBI, and two doubles. Sjerven, Thompson, and Jenna Helgeson each notched two hits apiece. Sjerven and Thompson each notched a run scored and a double, with Sjerven tallying two RBI and Thompson notching one. Dawson, Merritt, and Rutter grabbed the final three hits for the Wolves in the win.
 
Northern battled in game two against the Ichabods, scoring first in the top of the fourth. Sjerven led off the inning with a double to right, and came around to score as Helgeson singled to left. Washburn responded in the bottom of the fifth with five runs, however the Wolves did hold back notching another four in the top of the sixth to tie things at 5-all.
 
Helgeson and Thompson led off the sixth with back-to-back singles, and came around to score on Dawson's fourth homerun of the season, a 3-run blast to left center field. Katie Uittenbogaard re-ignited the NSU rally with a double to left center, and scored the following at-bat as Mackenzie Thielen notched her first double of the season. The Ichabods however game away with the 1-run victory in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Helgeson led the team in game two, going 3-for-4 with one run scored and one RBI. Sjerven, Uittenbogaard, and Thielen each tallied doubles, while Fisher and Thompson notched singles, and Dawson blasted a homerun.
 
Fisher threw 6.1 innings for the Wolves, suffering her fourth loss of the season. The junior gave up just three earned runs on six hits, with one strikeout. The NSU defense suffered five errors, resulting in three unearned runs by the Ichabods.
 
The Wolves are back in action tomorrow beginning at 11 a.m. versus Northwest Missouri State in Maryville. NSU will then face Central Missouri at 1 p.m. on the Bearcats home field as well.