The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team fell to the Missouri Southern Lions, 7-4, on Friday at Warren Turner Field.

The Bearcats fall to 17-15 overall and 12-10 in conference action. The No. 19 ranked Lions improved to 23-10 and 13-9 in MIAA play.

Missouri Southern got a complete game from starter Payton Walker in the victory.

Sophomore Kevin Handzlik was 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.

Northwest scored one run in the second and three in the sixth. The Bearcats got four runs on seven hits with an error.

The Lions had seven runs on 13 hits with an error. Missouri Southern scored four runs in the third, two in the fourth and one in the sixth.

Aaron Barratt went 2-for-4. He also stole a base.  Ozzie Adams was 1-for-3 with a run scored and a walk.   Kolby Greenslade was 1-for-3 with a double.  Garrett Fort and James Holler each drew walks and scored a run.  Derek Meyer got an RBI on a groundout in the sixth.

Anthony Caenepeel got the start and went 7.0 innings. He had three strikeouts and walked just two batters.  Bryce Shea pitched 0.2 innings, allowing no runs on one hit. Jacob Wagner got the final out of the eighth inning on a strikeout.

With one out in the second, Handzlik singled up the middle on a 1-1 pitch. After a flyout, Barratt singled to center to put runners on the corners. Barratt was picked off first but during the rundown, Handzlik was able to score before the third out was recorded to put the Bearcats up, 1-0.

With one out in the sixth, Fort walked and went to second on an Adams single. Holler drew a six pitch walk to load the bases with one down for Handzlik. Handzlik came through with a two-RBI single to right. Fort and Adams both scored on the play. Handzlik moved to second and Holler went to third on an error by the right fielder. Meyer grounded out to first to score Holler to make the score 6-4 Missouri Southern.

The second game of the three-game series is scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch on Saturday, April 9.

— Northwest Athletics —