The Northwest Missouri State baseball team dropped a non-conference slugfest to Rockhurst University Hawks on Tuesday by a final of 15-10.

With the win, Rockhurst improves to 19-12 while the Bearcats drop to 11-23 entering a key MIAA weekend against Southwest Baptist University.

The Bearcats trailed from the outset as Rockhurst jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first and extended the advantage to 7-0 in the bottom of the second.

Northwest began to claw back in the second, trimming the deficit to 7-3 on a two-run double by Ryan Abernathy.  The hit was Abernathy’s team-leading 15th double of the season.

Following two runs in the top of the third, Northwest pulled within four on RBI hits by Jake Kretzer and Jon Pomatto.  The double by Kretzer started a monster game for the junior center fielder as he finished the day 4-for-4 with three doubles and a triple.

The Bearcats would rally for four runs in the eighth and one in the ninth but the comeback would fall short with two runners stranded on base to end the game.

Nathanial Horton was the losing pitcher for Northwest in his first start of the season.  Nick Caldrone and Jacob Raffaele combined to pitch three innings in relief for the Bearcats without allowing an earned run.

In addition to Kretzer’s four extra-base hits, Abernathy and Jon Pomatto would lead the thirteen hit attack for Northwest, each collecting two hits and multiple RBI’s in the contest.

Up Next: The Bearcats continue MIAA play this weekend when they travel to Bolivar, Mo. to take on the Southwest Baptist Bearcats.  First pitch of Friday’s double-header from Dodson Field is set for 1 p.m.

— NWMSU Sports Information —