The Northwest Missouri State baseball team dropped a doubleheader to Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday at Walter Johnson Park in Coffeyville, Kan. The Bearcats fell 9-7 in the first game and 6-5 in the second, both were seven-inning contests. Northwest is now 4-5 overall and 1-2 in MIAA play. UNK improved to 8-2 overall and 2-1 in league action.

Game One

UNK jumped out to an early 4-0 lead with a run in the first and three in the second. Northwest scored in the third after Zack Ferreira tripled to start the inning and scored on a Ryan Abernathy single. UNK added a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning but gave up four runs to the Bearcats in the top of the fourth as Northwest took advantage of a hit batter and an error to pull within two. The Lopers added a run in the bottom of the fourth and had two more in the bottom of the fifth. Northwest scored twice in the top of the seventh but was unable to push across the tying runs.

Abernathy had three hits and drove in two runs for Northwest. Jon Pomatto had two hits and scored a run. Austin Wulff and Ferreira each accounted for two Bearcat runs. Northwest had nine hits and forced three UNK errors.

Rob Henrichs started the game for Northwest but was only able to go 2.1 innings, giving up six runs. Nikko Pablo pitched 2.2 innings, Tanner Smith got two outs in the sixth and Daulton Perry got the final out of the game for the Bearcats.

Game Two

Northwest scored in its first at bat as Eric McGlauflin singled in Paul Johnson to give the Bearcats a 1-0 lead in the first. But UNK had a five-run second inning to pull ahead. But the Bearcats battled back, scoring three runs in the top of the second and tied it in the third on a sacrifice fly from Blake Hardegree to score Wulff who started the inning with a walk. In the ninth, UNK used a sacrifice bunt to move a runner into scoring position and plated the winning run on a wild pitch.

McGlauflin had a pair of hits for Northwest and an RBI. Johnson, Abernathy, Hardegree and Ferreira all tallied and RBI. Brandon Huske, Johnson, Wulf, Hardegree and Ferreira all crossed the plate for the Bearcats.

Kole Klocko overcame a rough start to give the Bearcats 5.1 strong innings, striking out three while working through four scoreless innings after the first.

Up Next

Northwest will play UNK in the final game of the series at noon on Sunday afternoon. The game will be a nine-inning contest.

— Northwest Sports Information —