Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Kearney, Neb. – Junior Meg Housholder tossed a complete game eight-hitter to help Nebraska-Kearney edge Northwest Missouri State, 3-1, in the first game of a double header Friday afternoon at Dryden Park.

The Bearcats won by the same score in the nightcap as Holly Posegate threw a complete-game five hitter. NW is now 23-15 (12-6) while UNK is 8-40 (5-17).

During infield warmups in the top of the first inning in game two, Sgt. Thomas Shupe ran in from center field (watch the video from NTV) and surprised his younger sister, Loper shortstop Kate Shupe. Sgt. Shupe just returned from a tour in Kuwait.

Housholder (Parker, Colo.) won her fourth game as she wiggled her way out of a sixth inning jam. Throwing 98 pitches, she allowed just three hits over the first five innings but the first three 'Cats singled to start the sixth.

She responded by getting back-to-back strikeouts and then cleanly fielded a come backer. Northwest's lone run came in the first and was of the unearned variety. In her 50th career start, Housholder fanned four, walked three and didn't hit a batter. At the plate, she went 1 for 1 with an RBI sac fly in the fourth.

UNK managed just five hits off of two NW pitchers but took advantage of three errors and benefited from a couple of close calls in a two-run fourth. The Lopers tallied the winning run when senior Taylre Keenan (1 for 3, one run) and freshman Nicole Spykstra (1 for 2, one run & one RBI) pulled off a successful double steal.

Housholder came back in the second game and blanked the 'Cats over the final three innings. She recorded three more K's and helped frustrate an NW attack that stranded 11 base runners.

However, the 'Cats scored once in the third and twice in the fourth to give Posegate (9-6) all the support she needed. The younger sister of former Loper pitcher Drew Posegate, the right hander fanned six, walked one and gave up four singles and a double.

Four NW players collected two hits, including shortstop Rebecca Maher (2 for 3, one RBI). Besides Housholder, Papillion freshman Sara Sempek went 1 for 2 with an RBI double. She pitched the first three innings, allowing one earned on four hits and two walks..

UNK hosts Missouri Western Saturday beginning at noon.