The Northwest Missouri State University softball program began the 2018 season in Bentonville, Ark., on Thursday against Arkansas Tech and Central Missouri.

The Bearcats fell to Arkansas Tech, 11-6, in the first game before rebounding to beat Central Missouri in a non-MIAA game, 12-3, in the afternoon session.

Northwest hit six home runs in the two games, three coming off the bat of Erin Keeney in her Bearcat debut.

Game One Key Statistics (Arkansas Tech 11, Northwest 6)
– Arkansas Tech scored three in the second, three in the fifth, one in the fifth and two in the sixth. The Golden Suns had 11 runs on 13 hits with one error.

– Northwest scored three runs in the second and three in the sixth. The Bearcats finished with six runs on eight hits and four errors.

– Jessica Rawie had a home run, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI.

– Karli Allen was 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in the second inning.

– Rebecca Maher was 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and a stolen base.

– Kaitlyn Weis was 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.

– Keeney went 1-for-4 with a homerun, a pair of RBIs and a run scored.

– Abigail Gilson went 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored.

– Kiana Baderdeen went 1-for-3.

– Regan Thompson pitched 4.1 innings, allowing jut one earned run. She struck out three and did not issue a walk.

Game One Key Innings
– Rawie and Gilson led off the second with back-to-back walks. Allen cleared the bases with a three-run home run over the left center fence to tie the game, 3-3.

– Weis started the fifth by getting a single to center. Keeney then launched a home run to center for a two-run shot. After a groundout, Rawie took a ball over the left field fence for Northwest’s third home run of the game.

Game Two Key Statistics (Northwest 12, Central Missouri 3)
– Northwest scored three in the first, two in the second, three in the fourth and four in the fifth. The Jennies scored once in the third and had two runs in the fourth.

– The Bearcats had 12 runs on 12 hits with two errors. UCM had three runs on just three hits with one error.

– Rachel Smith threw all five innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits. She struck out eight and issued three walks.

– Keeney went 2-for-6 with a pair of home runs. She drove in six runs and scored twice. She also reached on a walk.

– Maher was 2-for-2 with a double, three runs scored, two RBIs and a walk.

– Jaedra Moses went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and had an RBI.

– Weis went 1-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs and three runs scored. She drew two walks.

– Gilson went 2-for-3.

– Kiana Baderdeen had a double and scored a run.

– Rawie was 1-for-3.

– Kenzi Sutton scored a run.

– Allen drew a walk in her only plate appearance.

Game Two Key Innings
– Keeney got Northwest on the board quick with a three-run homer in the first inning, driving in Maher and Weis who each reached base on walks.

– Allen started the second with a walk and was pinch ran for by Sutton. Baderdeen doubled to put runners on second and third with no outs. Maher came up with a two-RBI single to make it 5-0 Northwest.

– In the fourth, Maher doubled to leadoff and Moses singled to put two runners on. Weis then hit the Bearcats’ second home run of the game, giving Northwest an 8-3 lead.

– With one out in the fifth, Maher was hit by a pitch. Moses hit an infield single and went all the way to third after a throwing error on the catcher, allowing Maher to score all the way from first. After Weis walked, Keeney hit her third home run of the day, this time it was a three-run shot that ended the game.
Up Next

– Northwest will face Harding University at noon and Arkansas-Monticello at 2 p.m. on Friday in Bentonville, Ark.

— Northwest Athletics —

The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team picked up a 2-1 victory on Thursday over Ouachita Baptist at Rab Rogers Field in Arkadelphia, Ark.

– The Bearcats move to 1-4 on the year while the Tigers fall to 2-3 overall.

– Landon Figg was 3-for-5 with the game-winning RBI in the fifth.

Key Northwest Statistics
– Northwest scored one run in the fourth and added one in the fifth. The Tigers scored their lone run in the third.

– The Bearcats had two runs on six hits with two errors. OBU had one run on three hits with one error.

– Mondesi Gutierrez walked three times and scored a run.

– Alixon Herrera was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

– Derek Hussey was 1-for-3 with a walk.

– Luke Hassman scored a run.

– Logan Rycraft, Jake Velasco and Jay Hrdlicka each drew walks.

– Joseph Hietpas got the win, going 6.1 innings. He allowed just one unearned run and two hits. He struck out six and walked five.

– Jacob Wagner allowed just one hit in 1.2 innings of scoreless relief.

– Trevor Dudar finished off the game by working a hitless ninth inning.

Key Northwest Innings
– Hietpas set the Tigers down in order in the fourth and Wagner worked a three-up, three-down frame in the eighth.

– Hassman led off the fourth by getting hit by a pitch. After a pair of groundouts, Hassman ended up on third with two down. Hererra came up with an RBI single to center to tie the game, 1-1.

– In the fifth, Northwest got a leadoff single but a double-play wiped out the baserunner. With two down, Gutierrez walked and went to second on a wild pitch. Figg capitalized with a RBI single to drive in the go-ahead run.

Up Next
– Northwest will take on Henderson State on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 3:30 p.m. in Arkadelphia, Ark.

— Northwest Athletics —

By David Boyce – Northwest Athletics

EMPORIA, Kan. – Through most of the game, Northwest Missouri State’s men’s basketball team struggled making baskets. And with 3 minutes, 30 seconds left, the Bearcats found themselves down one point to Emporia State Wednesday evening at White Auditorium.

The Hornets, who entered the game with only eight victories overall and three in the MIAA, were looking to pull off one of the biggest upsets in Division II this season against Northwest, ranked No. 6 in the NABC top 25.

Simply put, the Bearcats needed to make plays down the stretch to prevent Emporia State from having its Super Bowl moment.

The Bearcats made those winning plays in the final 3 minutes and pulled out a 55-50 victory. The win lifted Northwest to 20-2 overall and 12-2 in the MIAA. The Bearcats will play for sole possession of first place Saturday at Washburn.

“This is probably one of the toughest places to win a game,” said senior Justin Pitts, who finished with 10 pints and six assists. “To win means a lot, especially going into Washburn. This is my last time playing here so it is good to get the win.”

The offensive execution started with a basket from junior Joey Witthus that gave Northwest a 44-43 lead with 3:24 left.

Sixteen seconds later, Witthus received a pass from freshman Ryan Hawkins and drained a three-pointer, increasing the Bearcats’ lead to 47-43.

“That was big there to get us a little bit of a lead, but it was definitely my teammates who made the extra pass to get me open,” said Witthus, who finished with a game-high 15 points. “That is what is so special about this team. It is the trust we have in each other.”

Northwest senior Chris-Ebou Ndow followed Witthus’ field goals with a basket, which gave Northwest a 49-43 with just over 2 minutes left.

The two-minute sequence was enough to put a pesky Hornets team away.

“Early on, we got shots, but we just couldn’t knock them down,” said Northwest coach Ben McCollum. “And then we started pressing and when you press, the ball doesn’t move as much.

“We were fortunate enough to come away with a win. We didn’t let our offense affect our defense, which was huge.”

Trailing by two points to start the second half, Northwest went inside to senior Brett Dougherty and he quickly responded with two baskets in the paint to put Northwest ahead 27-25.

But over the next six minutes the Bearcats continued to struggle on offense. With 12:15 left in the game, Northwest was locked in a 34-34 tie with the Hornets.

Over the next 3 minutes both teams had trouble scoring. The game remained tied at 36-36 with 9:25 left.

Nearly 90 seconds later, Northwest took a 38-36 lead when Pitts drove inside and passed it to Ndow, who slammed home a dunk with 8 minutes left.

“I think that is pretty big, especially on nights like tonight when nobody is hitting shots from the outside,” Pitts said about the key assists the Bearcats had. “Whoever penetrates knows there are back cuts. I have the ultimate trust that everybody will make plays.”

Over the next 5 minutes there were five lead changes. Emporia State held a slim 43-42 lead at the final media timeout with 3:33 left.

“This was good for us,” Witthus said. “It shows that not every game is going to be pretty. We have to fight and continue to fight and stick with the game plan, and that is what we did tonight. We got some big stops and rebounds and came away with the win.”

Although the Bearcats led most of the first half, they never found an offensive rhythm and that cost them in the final seconds. A long three-pointer by Emporia State senior Garin Vandiver sent Northwest into halftime trailing 25-23.

The best stretch for Northwest in the first half came with the score tied 12-12. Pitts drove to the basket and kicked the ball out to Witthus for a three-pointer.

After a defensive stop, Pitts repeated the play and dribbled inside and flipped the ball back outside. On this occasion, Ndow, who finished with 12 points, drilled a three-pointer, giving Northwest an 18-12 lead.

Northwest only made one more field goal the final 5:48 in the first half. The lack of offense allowed Emporia State to slowly make up the difference.

The Bearcats went 7 for 21 from the field in the first half for 33 percent. The only player with shooting success was Ndow, who made two of his three shots.

— Northwest Athletics —