| Box Score 2 BRANSON, Mo.- The Jets hit the road to open the 2026 campaign. On day one of the Branson Leadoff Classic, Newman faced Northwestern Oklahoma State and Upper Iowa. The Jets defeated NWOSU, 9-5 and defeated Upper Iowa in extras, 8-7.

Game one vs NWOSU: NU 9, NWOSU 5 
- The opening score against NWOSU came from Lauren McNaught, who singled in the top of the first, scoring Malie Noda and Emma Taylor, who both singled earlier in the inning. This gave the Jets an early 2-0 lead. The Rangers responded in the bottom of the first, scoring one run off two hits. The next score came from the Rangers in the bottom of the second, where they scored two runs to take a 3-2 lead. The Jets responded in the top of the third inning.
- To kick off the third, Kinley Powell singled. Lani Dryden followed this up with a single. Later in the inning, Noda connected for her second hit of the game, driving in two runs to retake the lead at 4-3. NWOSU would tie the game at four-all in the bottom of the third. The Jets bats stayed active in the fourth, scoring two more runs to take a 6-4 lead. The Rangers would cut into the Jets lead in the bottom of the fifth, scoring one run to make it 6-5. In the top of the sixth, the Jets found two more runs with an error by the Rangers defense and a hit from McNaught. This gave the Jets a 9-5 lead. The Jets' defense was able to hold off the Rangers for the remainder of the game. The Jets took their season-opening win, 9-5.

Player Notes:
- Noda led the Jets with three hits, batting in two runs.
- McNaught led the offense with three RBIs and added two hits.
- Lani Dryden tallied two hits, scoring two runs.
- Katelyn Westover pitched seven innings with three strikeouts.


Game two vs UIU:
- The Jets were first to score in their second game of the day. A single by Emma Taylor got the bats rolling in the first. Noda followed this up with a single of her own. A sacrifice fly by AJ Borja later scored Taylor to give the Jets a 1-0 lead. The Jets added two more in the bottom of the second inning. Laci Dryden singled to left field, which scored Hannah Nordby, who reached on an error by the Peacocks earlier in the inning. A stolen base by Dryden, followed by a grounder by Kinley Powell, allowed Dryden to advance to third. She later scored on a passed ball, extending the Jets' lead to 3-0. Noda put another run on the board in the bottom of the third with a home run, the first home run of the year for the Jets squad.
- Newman stretched its lead to six after scoring two runs in the fourth. A double by Emma Taylor scored the first run of the inning for the Jets. Noda added a double following Taylor's to push across the Jets' sixth run for a 6-0 lead. Upper Iowa was finally able to score, pushing four runs across the plate in the top of the sixth. This cut the Jets' lead to two runs, 6-4. The Peacocks later tied the game at 6-6 in the top of the seventh. The Jets were unable to add a run in the bottom of the seventh, forcing extra innings. 
 - The Peacocks were able to put a run on the board in the top of the eighth to take their first lead of the game. The Jets rallied in the bottom of the eighth. Borja batted in Taylor, who was placed on second to start the inning, to tie the game at 7-7. During the sacrifice fly, Noda was pushed over to third after reaching on an error by the Peacocks earlier in the inning. Nordby then stepped to the plate and hit a walk-off single to push the winning run across. The Jets beat the Peacocks, 8-7.

Player Notes:
- Dryden and Noda led the Jets with three hits apiece.
- Borja and Noda both punched in two RBIs for the offense.
- Taylor scored three runs for the Jets.

The Jets open day two at the Branson Leadoff Classic against Sioux Falls at 1:30 PM, followed by a matchup against Missouri S&T at 3:30 PM.