The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team fell to Northwestern Oklahoma State in the 2015 season opener on Friday, 12-11, in Alva, Okla.

The Bearcats trailed 10-4 at one point but clawed back with seven runs in the final three innings.

Northwest is now 0-1 on the season while the Rangers improved to 4-0 on the year.

Sophomore right fielder Austin Wulff got the Bearcats on the board in the top of the second with a solo shot on a 2-1 count. He finished the day 2-for-3 with a walk.

Shortstop Nick Gotta had a pair of hits, scored two runs and had an RBI in his Bearcat debut.

Kolby Greenslade had a pair of RBI, and scored two runs while going 2-for-5.

Steven Garber had  a pair of hits and drove in a run in the third inning.

Catcher Blake Hardegree had a pair of hits, scored two runs, drew a walk and threw out a base stealer in the third.

Northwest used five pitchers. Kole Klocko started but after being hit by a line drive, left after two-thirds of an inning.

Hondo Pearcy pitched 2.1 innings, Austin Battaglia pitched 3.2 innings, Jacob Wagner got the final out of the seventh inning and Patrick Brady pitched the eighth inning.

The Bearcats will face Regis College (Colo.) in a neutral site game tomorrow at noon followed by a rematch with Northwestern Oklahoma State at 3 p.m. Both games will take place in Alva, Okla.

— Northwest Sports Information —