MARYVILLE, Missouri – The Lindenwood Lions evened the weekend series against the Northwest Missouri State University Bearcat baseball team with an 18-5 triumph in seven innings on Saturday at the Bearcat Baseball Field.

The Lions scored 18 runs on 19 hits and took advantage of four Bearcat errors.

After a quiet first inning by both squads, the Bearcats (20-24, 15-14 MIAA) got on the scoreboard first following sophomore Peter Carlson’s solo home run to left. This would be the first of three home runs hit by either team of the afternoon.

Lindenwood evened up the score at one run apiece in the top of the third inning, hitting back-to-back doubles. The Lions had the opportunity to score another run on the at bat, but was called back due to runner interference.

The Northwest bats heated back up in the home half of the third inning, scoring three runs on four hits and retaking the lead, 4-1. Senior infielder Logan Rycraft got the inning started by hitting a lead-off single and then was advanced to second after a successful sacrifice bunt by junior infielder Calvin Rudolph. Junior first baseman Connor Quick doubled to left-center, scoring Rycraft. With two outs, sophomore infielder Peter Carlson stepped into the batter’s box and slapped a single to left field, scoring Quick for the second run of the inning. After Carlson advanced to second on a wild pitch, sophomore infielder Matt Gastner ripped a single to left, scoring Carlson.

In the top of the fourth, Lindenwood quickly found itself with runners on second and third with one out. Freshman third baseman Ryan Venne stepped into the box and crushed a three-run homer to right field. The Lions tied up the contest at 4-4 heading into the bottom of the inning.

After the Bearcats stranded two runners in the home half of the fourth, home plate got busy in the fifth inning. Lindenwood crossed nine runs with six being attributed to two three-run shots hit by senior first baseman Neil Fischer and senior outfielder D.J. Miller. This would be Miller’s second home run of the series as the Lions took a 13-4 lead over the Bearcats.

Lindenwood would go onto score three runs in the top of the sixth and two in the top of the seventh extending its lead to 18-4.

Northwest crossed one in the bottom of the seventh to bring the final margin to 18-5 after redshirt freshman Jordan Peck hit a one-out double down the left field line. Peck advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by senior catcher Jay Hrdlicka.

First pitch is set for game three of the series at 1 p.m. Sunday in Maryville. Northwest will honor nine seniors prior to the opening pitch of Sunday’s final home regular season contest.

— Northwest Athletics —

MARYVILLE, Missouri – The Washburn University Ichabod softball team swept the Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats in a doubleheader on a blustery Saturday at the Bearcat Softball Field.

Washburn won the opener, 4-1, and the second game in six innings, 9-1.

GAME ONE
Regan Thompson tossed a complete game five-hitter, but came up on the short end a of 4-1 decision to Washburn starter Bailey Zuniga.

Thompson allowed four runs (two earned) and struck out two without walking a batter.

Zuniga allowed only three hits and one unearned run in moving to 13-8 on the year.

Oliva Daugherty had two of the Bearcat hits. One of Daugherty’s hits was a triple to right field and then she scored when the attempted throw to get her out at third went awry.

GAME TWO
Washburn starter Raegen Hamm tossed a six-hit complete game and gave up one run in a 9-1, six-inning victory for the Ichabods.

Seniors Jaedra Moses and Kiana Baderdeen each tallied two hits in the contest.

NOTES: Northwest honored its four seniors (Jaclyn Weydert, Kiana Baderdeen, Jaedra Moses and Kenzi Sutton) prior to the game … the Bearcat seniors led Northwest to 104 wins over the last four seasons … Northwest closes its 2019 season with a mark of 11-28 overall and 6-20 in the MIAA.

— Northwest Athletics —

MARVYILLE, Missouri – The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team picked up another MIAA win with a 14-10 triumph over Lindenwood University in the first game of a three-game weekend set on Friday.

Northwest (20-23 overall, 15-13 MIAA) generated 15 hits and turned it over to closer Trevor Dudar to get the final four outs in the three-hour, 52-minute contest.

Both squads dented the scoreboard in the first inning. Following a single to lead off the game, senior D.J. Miller clobbered a home run ball to deep left center field. The two-run shot allowed the Lions to take the early 2-0 lead.

In the home half of the inning, senior infield Logan Rycraft led off and was hit by a pitch to give Northwest its first baserunner. Rycraft would go on to be hit three times during the game. After junior infielder Calvin Rudolph reached on a hit by pitch, first baseman Conner Quick singled, scoring Rycraft and moving Rudolph to third. Rudolph scored on the very next pitch after senior catcher Alixon Herrera grounded out. Northwest tied the game at two runs apiece heading into the second.

After shutting Lindenwood down in the top of the inning, the Bearcats tacked on another run during a run down play that scored sophomore outfielder Matt Gastner. The Bearcats would add another single run in the third to take the lead, 4-2.

Following a quiet fourth inning by both squads, home plate got busy during the fifth. The Lions led off the fifth by scoring three runs on four hits and retaking the lead back from the Bearcats, 5-4.

Northwest had its largest scoring inning of the afternoon in the fifth, scoring five runs on five hits and stole the lead back from Lindenwood, 9-5. The Bearcats successfully loaded the bases twice during the inning, scoring the first two runs on senior infielder Mondesi Gutierrez’s single to center. Sophomore infielder Peter Carlson and senior infielder Jay Hrdlicka scored on the hit. Rycraft then slapped a bases-clearing double to deep left-center field, that scored senior outfielder Derek Hussey, Gutierrez and Gastner.

After another rare scoreless innings by both teams in the sixth, Lindenwood crossed a run in the top of the seventh attributed to successful small ball and brought the Northwest lead back to just three runs.

The Bearcat offense heated back up in the home half of the seventh, scoring three runs on two hits and bringing the score to 12-6. Following a leadoff single by Hussey and Rycraft being hit by a pitch, Rudolph reached third on a Lion error that scored the two runners. Rudolph would record the third run of the inning on the very next at bat after Herrera singled to center field.

Lindenwood showed its power in the eighth by smashing a two-out grand slam to claw back at the Northwest lead, 12-10.

Northwest added two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, initiated by a two-out single by Rycraft, who advanced to second on a balk. Rycraft scored on the next at bat after a RBI double was hit by Rudolph to right field. Succeeding, Quick recorded his second RBI of the game, hitting a single up the middle to score Rudolph.

Northwest head coach Darin Loe turned it over to Dudar as he recorded his eighth successful save of the season by getting the final four outs.

Sophomore Max Spitzmiller was accredited with the win for Northwest, tossing five full innings of work and allowing five runs (five earned) on nine hits and striking out two.

First pitch is set for game two of the series at 2 p.m. Saturday in Maryville.

NOTES: Quick extended his team-high 27-game on base streak … Gastner and Hussey recorded a three-hit outing, Hussey’s ninth on the season (team-high) … four Bearcats notched multi-RBI game (Rycraft, Quick, Herrera, Gutierrez).

— Northwest Athletics —

MARYVILLE, Missouri – The Emporia State Hornets scored a pair of five-inning victories over the Northwest Missouri State University softball team on Friday.

Emporia State took the opener, 11-3. The Hornets then completed the two-game sweep with a 10-0 triumph.

GAME ONE
The Bearcats committed five errors and the Lions took advantage and scored 11 runs (four unearned) in a five-inning contest.

Emporia State fed off two errors in the third for a four-run inning and then added three more runs off two more errors in the fourth.

Trailing 7-0, the Bearcat offense woke up with a pair of blasts. Karli Allen led off the fourth with a home run to center. After a Kiana Baderdeen walk, Sydne Brashear crushed a home run to right-center to cut the Horrnet lead to 7-3.

However the Hornets tacked on four more runs in the fifth and the Bearcats added another error in the frame.

Regan Thompson took the loss (5-11) as she pitched 3 2/3 and gave up seven hits and seven runs (three earned).

GAME TWO
The Bearcats cleaned up the defensive miscues but could only muster seven hits and did not scratch across a run in a 10-0 defeat in five innings.

Emporia State scored two in the first, four in the second, three in the third and a single run in the fourth.

Rachel Smith suffered the loss (4-10) as she went 1 2/3 and gave up seven hits, six runs (all earned). Logan Wenzel pitched the final 3 1/3 innings and gave up five hits, four runs (all earned) with a walk and a strikeout.

NOTES: Emporia State had 11 stolen bases in the doubleheader … Allen hit her ninth home run of the season … Brashear hit her fifth homer on the year … Olivia Daugherty cracked her 10th double on the season.

— Northwest Athletics —