By OAKLEE FIELDER
The Lady Ranger softball 2026 season got underway in Branson, Missouri, where they faced six non-GAC teams to give them an insight into the season.
The Lady Rangers won four of their six games in the Branson Lead Off Classic.
In the first game against Minnesota Crookston, Savannah Duran and Kaylee Madden led the Lady Rangers in hits as they both had two. Katelyn Bezdicek had the most RBIs in the game with three. Makanalei Lapera had the most runs scored with three. Katy Jones and Madelyn Cason both had three strikeouts.
The Lady Rangers won the game 8-4.
In the 9-5 loss against Newman University, Duran and Abby Baglin had the most hits with two apiece. Kaitlyn Corn and Delaynie Esterly each had one RBI. Duran, Madden, Gabrielle Sanchez, Esterly and Baglin all had one run scored to their names. Chloe Brown had three strikeouts, Bezdicek had one.
The 1-0 win over the University of Sioux Falls was not a very offensive game for either team, as the game went into overtime, even at zero. Duran led the Lady Rangers in RBIs with the single one in the game. Duran, Sanchez, and Taygan Graham all had one hit apiece. Grace Hulsey had five strikeouts, no bases on balls, only had four hits on her and faced 27 batters.
In the win over Upper Iowa, the Ladies won by one once again. Madden and Esterly both had the most hits for the Lady Rangers with two. Raelynn Sandlin had one. Jones had four strikeouts.
In the game against McKendree, the Lady Rangers lost 1-0. Aspen Loafman had the most hits for NWOSU with two. Cason struck five batters out.
NWOSU beat Missouri S&T 10-0 in a seemingly easy game for the Lady Rangers. Madden had three RBIs and two hits. Corn had two hits and one base on balls. Brown had three strikeouts and only had two hits on her.
The next games for Northwestern are on February 7 against Texas Permian Basin. They will be on the road for the next week as they go to Odessa, Texas to face TPB.
Then, on February 11, they will be in Lawton to face Cameron University.
February 20 is the conference opener for the Lady Rangers against the Arkansas Tech University Golden Suns.