Head Coach Darin Loe and the Northwest Missouri State baseball team earned their first win of the 2013 season as the Bearcats defeated Northeastern State 7-5 Saturday.

Northwest got off the bus and pulled the bats out immediately as they jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the first inning. Ryan Abernathy led off the game with a walk followed by two quick outs then a single by JJ Baccari knocked him in to go up 1-0.

Eric McGlauflin and Baccari were both on base when Charlie Krueger hit a three run home run to right field with two outs to put the Bearcats up 4-0.

The Bearcats also had a great showing from the hill as Blane Reutter went the distance for the complete game win. Reutter needed 110 pitches for the 9.0 inning victory as he had five strikeouts, allowed five earned runs and gave up only one walk. Reutter improves to 1-1 on the season.

Northwest added one run in the fourth as Abernathy scored on a throwing error by Northeastern’s third basemen putting the team up 5-2. The Bearcats tallied two more runs in the top of the ninth when Eric Swain singled in Brandon Huske and Abernathy.

A solid pitching performance and seven scattered hits over nine innings helped the Bearcats get their first win in MIAA competition this season. Northwest improves to 1-3, 1-0 in 2013. The RiverHawks and Bearcats will be back at it tomorrow for a double header with the first pitch scheduled for noon with the third and final game of the series to follow.

— NWMSU Sports Information —