The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team defeated Fort Hays State, 11-4, on Sunday at Larks Park in Hays, Kan.

The Bearcats improve to 8-7 overall and 5-1 in MIAA play. The Tigers fall to 9-8 and 1-5 in conference action.

Jay Hrdlicka was 3-for-3 with three doubles. He drove in two, scored twice and also drew two walks.

Key Northwest Statistics
– Northwest scored once in the second, once in the fourth, four in the fifth, four in the seventh and one in the eighth. The Tigers scored one in the second and three in the seventh.
– The Bearcats had 11 runs on 11 hits with two errors. Fort Hays state had four runs on 12 hits with three errors.
– Mondesi Gutierrez was 2-for-4 and drove in six runs. He scored twice and drew a walk.
– Kevin Handzlik was 2-for-6 with a run.
– Logan Rycraft drew a pair of walks and went 1-for-4.
– Landon Figg was 1-for-3 and scored four times. He was hit by two pitches.
– Aaron Barratt was 1-for-2 with a pair of RBIs.
– Hudson Bilodeau was 1-for-5 with a walk and a stolen base.
– Eddy Kraber got the start. He went 3.0 innings, allowing one run on six hits. He struck out two and walked two.
– Quintin Van Ackeren threw 3.0 innings of relief. He allowed two runs on four hits. He struck out two and did not issue a walk.
– Trevor Dudar worked the final 2.2 innings. He didn’t allow a run or a hit, striking out two.

Key Northwest Innings
– With one down in the second, Figg was hit by a pitch. Hrdlicka hit a double down the left field line to put runners on second and third. Gutierrez grounded out to short but Figg was able to score on the play for the game’s first run.

– In the fourth, Figg hit a one out single to center and went to second on a wild pitch. Hrdlicka and Gutierrez drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. After an out, Rycraft drew another walk to force in Figg to make it 2-1 Northwest.

– Hussey led off the fifth with a walk and went to second on a wild pitch. After a pair of groundouts, Figg was hit by a pitch and Hrdlicka walked to load the bases. Gutierrez hit a double to left that drove in three runs. After a pitching change, Gutierrez scored on a Barratt single up the middle to make it 6-1 Bearcats.

– Handzlik started the seventh with a single through the left side. Figg reached on en error by the shortstop. Hrdlicka hit a two-RBI double to right and Gutierrez drove Hrdlicka in with a double to left for Northwest’s ninth run. After a wild pitch allowed Gutierrez to take third, Barratt hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Gutierrez.

– With two down in the eighth, Hrdlicka hit a double to left. Gutierrez reached on an error by the shotstop, allowing Hrdlicka to score.

Up Next
– Northwest will take on William Jewell on Tuesday, March 6, at 1 p.m. in Liberty, Mo.

— Northwest Athletics —