Kearney, Neb. – Junior first baseman Hailey Schaneman hit two home runs and junior third baseman Avery Wood added a Grand Slam to help Nebraska-Kearney edge Northwest Missouri State, 9-8, in the first game of a double header Sunday afternoon at Dryden Park.
Schaneman went deep again in the nightcap but the Bearcats score eight unanswered to win 11-9. Due to field conditions and weather these games were moved from Patriot Park and pushed back two hours.
UNK’s first games at Dryden in two years resulted in 37 combined runs on 54 hits, 14 walks, two hit batters and two errors. The Lopers (12-22, 3-15) finished with six home runs and five doubles with Northwest (14-18, 8-12) at seven dingers and four two baggers.
Wood (Kearney H.S.) belted her second long ball of the year in the bottom of the second to stake UNK to a 4-0 lead. The Lopers never trailed but the ‘Cats scored three in the fifth and three in the sixth to tie things at seven.
A hard liner off the bat of redshirt sophomore center fielder Bri Healy (Omaha Central) in the bottom of the sixth ran Northwest reliever Ashleigh Creek from the game. On the very first pitch she saw from junior Kaitlyn Weis, Schaneman (Grand Junction, Colo.) deposited it deep over the left center fence.
Northwest got a solo homer with one down in the top of the seventh and then a single and wild pitch to have the tying run at second. However, junior Kelsey Goodban (Lincoln Pius) recorded a strikeout and pop up to Wood to earn her team-leading seventh win. Wood ended with four RBI’s and Schaneman three with five Lopers having two hits apiece.
UNK erased a 3-0 deficit in game two thanks to a four spot in its first at bat. Schaneman hit a two-out, two-run shot to center with the inning featuring six of the Lopers 12 hits.
Down 6-3 the ‘Cats scored two in the fourth, three in the fifth and three more in the sixth. The Lopers did make things interesting with a three-run sixth that featured a two-run double to right center by freshman right fielder Abbie Jo Gaube (Omaha Gross). However, she was stranded at third and then Kearney went down in order in the seventh.
Northwest had three different players have three hits including Weis who hit her 12th homer of the spring in the sixth. Freshman Breck Dickey earned her first collegiate save by fanning four over the final two innings. The Lopers had four multi-hit efforts including one by Omaha senior second baseman Kaylee Schutte (3 for 4).
UNK’s home stand continues next weekend with games against Northeastern State and Rogers State.
Loper Softball splits series
