FORT SMITH, Arkansas – The Northwest Missouri State University Bearcat baseball team opened its 2019 season with a 3-2 loss at Arkansas-Fort Smith.
The Lions plated the winning run on hit batter with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth.
Northwest struck first with an unearned run in the top of the third. Redshirt freshman Jordan Peck led off the inning and reached on an error by UAFS shortstop Logan Easley. Senior Logan Rycraft sacrificed Peck to second. Following a popup by junior Calvin Rudolph, outfielder Derek Hussey singled to shortstop that allowed Peck to reach third. Peck would score on a wild pitch to give Northwest a 1-0 lead.
UAFS rallied with a two-run spot in the bottom of the fourth as the Lions tallied three hits and left two more runners on base.
Junior relief pitcher Ethan Griswold was called on with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the sixth. Griswold induced a pop up to senior second baseman Mondesi Gutierrez to end the threat and keep the UAFS lead at 2-1.
The Bearcats evened the score at 2-2 in the top of the seventh. Peck singled to right to lead off the seventh. He moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt from Rudolph. Head coach Darin Loe inserted redshirtfreshman Jonathan Hernandez as a pinch runner for Peck. Hussey then singled to third and UAFS’s Brandan Warner’s throw was wild allowing Hernandez to cross home plate.
Griswold worked his third inning in the ninth. He got two of the first three batters out. Following a single by UAFS’s Tremarcus Koontz, Griswold was lifted for Bearcat closer Trevor Dudar. Dudar allowed a single to pinch hitter Cooper VanKooten that loaded the bases with two outs. Unfortunately for Dudar and the Bearcats, Dudar hit Logan Allen with a pitch that allowed the Lions to walk off a 3-2 victory in the season opener for both squads.
Northwest starter Quintin Van Ackeren struck out six batters as he went 4 1/3 innings. Van Ackeren allowed two earned runs off six hits and four walks.
Griswold took the loss despite tossing three innings and giving up only two hits and two walks while striking out a pair.
Hussey led the offense with a pair of singles
The Bearcats and Lions will take to the field tomorrow for game two of the series. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
NOTES: The Northwest defense was clean with no errors, while UAFS committed five defensive miscues … UAFS outhit Northwest, 10-7 … Northwest drew three walks, while the Lions benefited from eight free passes.
— Northwest Athletics —