KANSAS CITY, Missouri – The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader at Rockhust University on Wednesday.

The Bearcats scored a 6-4, eight-inning win in the opener, only to see the Hawks rally in the nightcap for a 7-5 triumph.

GAME ONE
Northwest scored an extra-inning triumph over Rockhurst with a pair of runs in the eighth inning to take it, 6-4.

Connor Quick had a two-hit game to extend his hitting streak to 18 in a row, but it was Derek Hussey who came through with a one-out, two-run single to left field that provided the winning runs in the opener.

Alixon Herrera scored an unearned run in the second to give the Bearcats a 1-0 lead. Herrera doubled to lead off the second and moved to third on a passed ball. Matt Gastner hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Herrera.

After giving up a solo homer in the bottom half of the second, Northwest plated a pair of runs in the third. Jordan Peck posted a leadoff double and eventually scored on a Logan Rycraft single to right. Rycraft stole second and scored on an error during Quick’s at bat in the third.

The Bearcats extended the margin to three runs in the fourth. For the third consecutive inning Northwest had its leadoff batter double – this time it was Peter Carlson with the two-bagger. Hussey moved him over to third on a sacrifice bunt and Carlson scored on a sac fly from Rycraft.

Northwest had built a 4-1 lead through three and a half innings before Rockhurst notched a run in the fourth and two more in the sixth to even it up at 4-4.

Trevor Dudar pitched the seventh and got the win, while Aaron Easley worked around a walk in the eighth to earns his second save of the season.

GAME TWO
Northwest looked to take both ends of the doubleheader as the Bearcats built a 5-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth. However, Rockhurst rallied with three in the fourth and four in the sixth to get the split, 7-5.

A leadoff double from Gastner in the second was followed by another double from Mondesi Gutierrez to put the Bearcats on the board, 1-0. Hussey laced a single to left that scored Gutierrez and gave the Bearcats a 2-0 cushion. Hussey stole second and claimed both third and home on wild pitches for a 3-0 Bearcat advantage. Northwest had a chance to blow the contest wide open, but left the bases loaded in the second.

The Bearcats added to the lead in the fourth. Hussey led off with a single to left. Rycraft reached on a bunt single to the pitcher and Calvin Rudolph loaded the bases when he was hit by a pitch. Quick drew a bases loaded walk to score Hussey. Herrera then lifted a sac fly to center to make it 5-0 in favor of the Bearcats. However, Northwest failed to do any more damage as Rudolph was picked off and Gastner flied out to left.

The Hawks got to Bearcat starter Tristan Ledger in the fourth for three runs. Max Ross relieved him with two out in the fourth and got out of a bases loaded jam with the Bearcats holding a 5-3 lead.

Russell Simmons retired the side in order in the fifth, but ran into trouble in the sixth. Simmons got two outs in the sixth but left the bases loaded following a single and two walks. Jarret Cronin came on and induced a ground ball to Rycraft at shortstop, but a throwing error allowed two runs to score and the game was tied. The Hawks came through with a two-out two-RBI single to extend the Rockhurst lead to 7-5.

The Bearcats attempted a two-out rally in the seventh. Peter Carlson worked the count full and drew a walk. Gutierrez then reached on an error to put the tying runs on base. However, Jordan Peck struck out to end it.

Simmons suffered the loss and dropped to 0-3 on the year.

NOTES: Rycraft had a three-hit game in the second contest … Hussey went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI in the nightcap … Quick’s 18-game hitting streak was snapped in the second game, but he drew a walk to extend his consecutive on-base games streak to 26 in a row.

— Northwest Athletics —

MARYVILLE, Missouri – The University of Central Missouri Jennies took two games from the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats Tuesday in a doubleheader.

The Jennies battled back in game one, winning 10-9 over the Bearcats. The Jennies took game two, 10-4.

Game One
The Bearcats were the first to score in the bottom of the second inning scoring four runs. Jaclyn Weydert got things going with a homer to left field. Olivia Daugherty hit a three-run blast to left center, bringing in Jacee Winn and Grace Ruehle to score and go up 4-0 over the Jennies.

Karli Allen scored in the bottom of the third inning from a wild pitch, pushing the Bearcat lead to 5-0.

The Jennies scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning to cut the Bearcat lead to 5-3.

Kiana Baderdeen got an RBI in the bottom of the fourth, allowing Jaedra Moses to score and push the lead to 6-3.

Central Missouri scored one run in the top of the fifth from an RBI to cut the lead to 6-4.

The Jennies rallied in the top of the sixth inning scoring three runs and taking the lead 7-6 over the Bearcats.
The Bearcats answered in the bottom of the sixth, also scoring three runs. Sydne Brashear singled to left field, bringing in Moses to score. Weydert also had a single allowing Ady Watts to score. Grace Ruehle got an RBI, bringing in Baderdeen to to the plate and taking back the lead 9-7.

The Jennies fought back in the top of the seventh inning scoring three more runs and taking game one over the Bearcats, 10-9.

Game Two
Ashlyn Cook started the second game strong for the Jennies with a homer to center field in the first inning and to grab an early 1-0 lead over the Bearcats. The Jennies put another run on the board in the top of the second and pushed their lead to 2-0.

Jaedra Moses had a two-RBI hit allowing Ady Watts and Sydne Brashear to score and tie the game at 2-2.

Central Missouri scored a run in the top of the fifth off an RBI, advancing the lead to 3-2 over the Bearcats.

The Jennies’ offense took off in the top of the sixth inning, scoring seven runs and going up 10-2 over the Bearcats.
Moses reached base on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the sixth that allowed Weydert to score and cut the lead to 10-3.
Brashear homered in the bottom of the seventh inning, but it wasn’t enough to catch back up to the Jennies. Central Missouri took game two, 10-4.

The Bearcats are now 11-24 overall and 6-16 in conference play.

Up next for the squad is home doubleheaders Friday and Saturday against Emporia State and Washburn. Friday’s doubleheader against Emporia State begins at 2 p.m. and Saturday’s doubleheader against Washburn will begin at 12 p.m.

NOTES: Northwest tallied 14 hits in the opening game, including a three-hit performance from Jaedra Moses … Moses added a hit and an RBI in the second game … Karli Allen went 3-for-4 in the second contest … Northwest posted 24 total hits in the two games … UCM posted 26 hits.

— Northwest Athletics —

Northwest Missouri State senior track athlete Kevin Schultz was named the MIAA field athlete of the week.

Schultz jumped 7.25″ to automatically qualify for the NCAA Division II outdoor championship meet. Schultz’s jump is the second-highest in school history. It is the highest mark in the nation this year and the highest since 2016 in Division II. It is the highest in the MIAA since 2011 when the MIAA started using TFRRS.

Schultz won the MIAA Indoor Championship in the high jump earlier this year.

— Northwest Athletics —

WARRENSBURG, Missouri – It was not a good Friday for the Northwest Missouri State University baseball team as the Central Missouri Mules hit a walk-off solo homer to lead off the ninth and post a 9-8 triumph over the Bearcats.

Northwest held a 3-2 lead in the third and pushed the advantage to 7-3 with a four-run fourth. UCM rallied for a four-spot in the seventh only to see Northwest retake the lead at 8-7 in the eighth.

However, UCM tied it up in the eighth and then Cole Taylor led off the bottom of the ninth with a solo home run to right field for the 9-8 Mule victory.

Northwest’s Connor Quick recorded a season-high six RBI, including a grand slam in the fourth. Quick extended his hitting streak to 16 games in a row and he has reached base in 23 straight games. He has a team-best 21 multi-hit games and eight multi-RBI contests. Quick is batting .391 on the season, and has knocked in a team-high 35 runs.

UCM scored single runs in the first and second to take a 2-0 lead through two innings.

The Bearcats took their first lead of the contest with three runs in the third. A walk and two errors on bunt plays allowed Northwest to score its first run. Quick knocked in his first run of the game with an RBI single to left that scored Logan Rycraft. Alixon Herrera ground out to third but Calvin Rudolph scored on the play to give Northwest a 3-2 advantage.

UCM evened the matchup at 3-3 in the third on a leadoff homer from Erik Webb.

Quick’s two-out grand slam in the fourth gave Northwest a 7-3 advantage. UCM managed a single in the fifth and two base hits in the sixth but could not claw closer in those two stanzas. However, Northwest was unable to build on the four-run lead as the Bearcats had only one hit in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings – a two-out double from Mondesi Gutierrez in the seventh.

Northwest starter Quintin Van Ackeren went six strong innings and gave up eight hits and three runs. But the Bearcat bullpen and defense could not hold off the Mules.

Bearcat reliever Alex Slocum retired only one batter, while UCM loaded the bases as the result of an error in centerfield and two hit batters. Gibson Brown inherited the bases loaded situation with one out. Brown induced a sacrifice fly but could not escape the jam as he allowed a two-RBI single and an RBI double that equaled the score at 7-7.

Northwest would regain the lead again in the eighth on when Quick reached on a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded. A Matt Gastner single, a Derek Hussey single and a Rycraft walk loaded the bases. Quick hit a ground ball to shortstop but the Mules could not turn the double play and Gastner hustled home to give Northwest an 8-7 lead with six outs to play.

UCM Erik Webb led off the bottom half of the eight with a triple and scored on the ensuing at-bat – a single to center that again evened the matchup at 8-8. Northwest’s Ethan Griswold came in to relieve Brown and was able to wriggle free with a pickoff and a strikeout.

Northwest went down in order in the ninth, setting the stage for the Mules Taylor to hit the walk-off game winner.

UCM is 27-12 overall and 18-8 in MIAA play, while Northwest is 18-21 overall and 14-12 in league action.

The teams will meet in the rubber match of the three-game series on Saturday at 2 p.m. in Warrensburg.

— Northwest Athletics —

WARRENSBURG, Missouri – While it took 10 innings to do so, the Northwest Missouri State baseball team snapped its 5-game losing skid with an 11-10 victory over MIAA-rival Central Missouri.

Alixon Herrera went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and Derek Hussey drove in four runs as the Bearcats. It is Herrera’s first four-hit game of his collegiate career at Northwest.

It’s Northwest’s first win in Warrensburg since March 8, 2015. Northwest’s last extra-inning victory came against UCM in Maryville when the Bearcats posted a 5-4 triumph on April 5, 2018.

During a quiet first two innings for the Bearcats (18-20, 14-11 MIAA), the Mules’ offense wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, crossing one run in the first and another in the second to take the early 2-0 lead.

Northwest answered in the top of the third inning by scoring one of its own, coming on a solo home run by sophomore infielder Matt Gastner and bringing the score to 2-1.

After retiring Central Missouri in the home half of the third, the Bearcats added three more runs to the scoreboard in the fourth, taking the lead away from the Mules, 4-2. Northwest recorded three hits during the inning and used successful small ball to move its runners around the base path. Senior infielder Mondesi Gutierrez stole home to record the final run of the inning.

Following stalemate innings in the fifth and sixth, both squad’s offenses heated back up in the seventh. For Northwest, senior outfielder Derek Hussey smacked a two-out, solo shot over the right field wall. Central Missouri answered with a run of its own after a one-out, two-bagger was hit by infielder Cole Taylor.

In the eighth, the Bearcats scored five runs on four hits to increase their lead to 10-3 over the Mules. Peter Carlson doubled to right center, recording the first RBI of the inning, scoring Quick. With the bases juiced, Hussey hit the second double of the inning and cleared the bases, scoring Jay Hrdlicka, Gutierrez and Carlson. A bases-loaded walk scored the final run of the top of the inning and gave Northwest a 10-3 lead.

Central Missouri scored four runs in the home-half of the eight to claw back at the Bearcat lead, 10-7.

After a three-up, three-down was recorded by Northwest in the top of the ninth, senior pitcher Trevor Dudar was brought in to attempt to complete the save for the Bearcats. Dudar gave up three runs (three earned) in his outing that allowed the Mules to send the contest into extra innings.

Senior catcher Alixon Herrera led off the 10th for Northwest, slapping a triple to right field. Herrera scored when Gutierrez grounded out to second. The Bearcats took back the lead, 11-10.

In the bottom of the 10th, sophomore Aaron Easley walked onto the bump to close out the ball game. He did just that, forcing Central Missouri into a one, two, three inning and giving Northwest the first win of the three-game series. Easley was credited with his first career save and Dudarr was awarded the win.

Sophomore Max Spitzmiller got the start on the mound for Northwest, giving up three runs on seven hits while striking out two. Spitzmiller went six and 1/3 innings on the hill.

Northwest and Central Missouri will play game two of the series Friday at 4 p.m. in Warrensburg.

Notes: Quick extended his team-high, 15-game hitting streak and his team-leading 22-game on-base streak … Alixon Herrera went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and notched his first four-hit game of his career … Derek Hussey batted in four RBIs.

— Northwest Athletics —

TOPEKA, Kansas – The Washburn Ichabods rallied for four runs in the eighth inning off the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats to score a 6-4 non-conference victory on Tuesday.

After a scoreless opening pair of innings to begin the contest, Washburn (19-17, 11-13 MIAA) scored first in the third. Junior catcher Steven Jacobson hit a solo shot over the left field wall.

Washburn increased its lead over Northwest (17-20, 13-11 MIAA) to 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth after Jacobson doubled to deep center field and scored an unearned run attributed to Bearcat pitcher Max Ross.

The Bearcat offense ignited in the sixth. Logan Rycraft led off with a single.Connor Quick extended his hitting streak to 14 in a row by tripling Rycraft home to put the Bearcats on the board. Jay Hrdlicka followed with an RBI single to tie the contest at 2-2.

Mondesi Gutierrez tripled to lead off the seventh and scored on a Jordan Peck single to center. Tim Olson doubled to move Peck to third. Peck would eventually cross the plate on a sacrifice fly from Rycraft to give the Bearcats a 4-2 lead.

In the eighth, pitcher Aaron Easley came on as the fifth relief pitcher in the game for the Bearcats but was greeted by a walk, a double, a two-RBI single and a balk before he was removed from the game in favor of senior closer Trevor Dudar. Dudar induced a sacrifice fly but then allowed a triple and another run-scoring single to leave the Bearcats in the hole, 6-4.

The Bearcats went three-up, three-down in the ninth inning to drop the game. Easley was given the loss and he falls to 1-2 this season.

The Bearcats will return to action Thursday at 6 p.m. at Central Missouri. The Bearcats and Mules will play a three-game set in Warrensburg.

NOTES: Quick reached base for the 21st straight game and moved his hitting streak to 14 in a row … Quick had two hits in the game to give him 20 multi-hit contests this season … Calvin Rudolph saw a pair of his streaks snapped – 16-game hitting streak and a 17-game on-base streak … Peter Carlson has reached base safely in 16 consecutive games … Northwest is now 3-1 on the season when facing Washburn.

— Northwest Athletics —

MARYVILLE, Missouri – The Northwest Missouri State University softball team hit seven home runs in a doubleheader sweep of Southwest Baptist University at the Bearcat Softball Field.

Northwest ripped six home runs in the first game and posted a 9-7 win on a walk-off two-runs shot by Kaitlyn Weis. The six home runs are single-game Northwest record. The previous mark of five was set Feb. 25, 2006, vs. Central Missouri.

Northwest then notched a 5-1 triumph in the second contest.

Northwest is 11-22 overall and 6-14 in MIAA play. Northwest is a perfect 6-0 at home in 2019. Southwest Baptist is 5-38 overall and 2-14 in league play.

GAME ONE
Ady Watts started things strong for Northwest in the bottom of the second inning with a homer to left field. Olivia Daugherty hit a three-run blast to left center, bringing in Jacee Winn and Jaclyn Weydert to score and to give Northwest a 4-0 lead over Southwest Baptist.

The bottom of the third inning saw back-to-back homers from Sydne Brashear and Karli Allen to advance the Northwest lead to 6-0.

Kaitlyn Weis homered to center field in the bottom of the fifth inning to push the lead to 7-0.

Southwest Baptist scored off an RBI in the top of the sixth to cut the lead to 7-1.

Southwest Baptist rallied in the top of the seventh inning scoring 6 runs and tying the game at 7-7.

In the bottom of the seventh, Weis hit a walk-off two-run homer to take game one, 9-7.

Weis also took the mound and got the last out of the seventh to earn the pitching decision and even her mark at 2-2 on the year.

GAME TWO
Ady Watts scored off a throwing error by the shortstop in the bottom of the second inning. Olivia Daugherty hit a single and advanced to second on a fielding error by the right fielder, allowing Jaclyn Weydert and Grace Ruehle to score and go up 3-0 on Southwest Baptist.

Karli Allen hit a two-run homer to center field in the bottom of the third to push the lead to 5-0.

Southwest Baptist scored in the top of the fifth inning to crack the scoreboard. But SBU would not score after that and Northwest claimed the 5-1 triumph.

Regan Thompson kept SBU at bay as she went the distance and allowed seven hits and one run. Thompson struck out five to move to 5-10 on the year.

Up next for the squad is a doubleheader at home against Central Missouri next Tuesday beginning at 2 p.m.

— Northwest Athletics —

JOPLIN, Missouri – The Missouri Southern Lions picked up a pair of wins Saturday morning over the Northwest Missouri State Bearcat softball squad.

The Lions won the first game in five innings, 9-1. The Lions secured a 5-1 triumph in the second contest.

Game One
Missouri Southern started game one with a seven-run first.

The Bearcats scored one run in the top of the second on a sacrifice fly from Sydne Brashear that plated Kaitlyn Weis and cut the lead to 7-1.

The Lions scored single runs in the fourth and fith to close out the five-inning victory, 9-1.

Game Two
The Lions jumped out early again in game two with three runs in the first.

Ady Watts singled to left field in the top of the second inning bringing in Weis to score and cut the lead to 3-1.

The Lions added two more runs in the bottom of the second inning to advance the lead to 5-1.

Northwest mustered only four more base runners after the second inning. The Bearcats were limited to three hits in the game with two coming in the second and one other in the seventh.

Up next for the Bearcats is a home doubleheader against Southwest Baptist on Monday starting at 2 p.m.

NOTES: Kaitlyn Weis, who registered two hits against the Lions, leads the squad with a season batting average of .398 … she also has 28 RBI and 8 home runs … Ady Watts, who tallied an RBI in game two, has a .325 slugging percentage this season.

— MWSU Athletics —