The Northwest Missouri State baseball team won both games of a Thursday doubleheader against Lincoln, 9-2 and 7-1, respectively. The wins move Northwest to 9-5 overall and 6-2 in MIAA play. Lincoln is now 0-8 and 0-6 in MIAA play.

GAME ONE

Ryker Fox went 5.0 innings to pick up his third win of the year, giving up two runs on just three hits with four strikeouts. Tanner Smith finished off thelast two innings of the seven inning first game.

The Bearcats jumped out to an 8-0 lead, scoring in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings. In the second, a Zach Ferreira double cleared the bases,scoring Derek Meyer, Jon Pomatto and Steve Garber. In the third, Austin Wulff hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Paul Johnson. That same inning Eric McLaughlinscored on a wild pitch from Lincoln. Ferreira picked up another RBI in the fourth, doubling to score Meyer to give Northwest a 6-0 lead. In the fifth,Garber singled to score McGlauflin and Wulff scored on a fielder’s choice on Pomatto. Lincoln would score two runs in the sixth but Northwest tacked on an insurance run in the seventh as Pomatto scored on a Brandon Huske groundout.

Northwest outhit Lincoln, 10-4.

GAME TWO

Austin Warren turned in a complete game performance to give Northwest a 7-1victory to close out the day. Warren, who allowed just one unearned run, walked just one batter and gave up five hits while striking out three for his first victory of the year. Northwest picked up 12 hits and drew four walks.

In the third, Northwest scored the first run of the game as McGlauflin doubled to center scoring Johnson. Neither team was able to score again until the eighth when the Bearcats came alive, scoring four times to take a firm hold on the game. With the bases loaded, Pomatto doubled to score Wulff and McGlauflin. Blake Hardegree grounded out, scoring Garber and a Ferreira single scored Pomatto to give Northwest a 5-0 lead. In the top of the ninth with Lincoln still scoreless, Wulff blasted his team-leading third home run, scoring Abernathy after a Blue Tiger error extended the inning. The lone blemish onWarren’s day on the mound came in the ninth as an error to lead off the inning eventually came back to score on an RBI single with one out. Warren got thelast two Lincoln batters to fly out to end the nine inning game.

The Blue Tigers and the Bearcats will play a double header Saturday beginning at noon.

— Northwest Sports Information —