The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team scored two runs in the bottom of the eight to beat Fort Hays State, 5-4, on Sunday in the regular season finale at Bearcat Field in Maryville, Mo.
– The Bearcats finished the regular season at 31-18 overall and 19-16 in MIAA play. Fort Hays State finished the year at 10-39 overall and 3-33 in conference action.
– Landon Figg drove in two runs, going 1-for-3. He had a sacrifice fly in the fifth and hit a tying homerun in the eighth.
Key Northwest Statistics
– The Bearcats scored two runs in the second, one in the fifth and two in the eighth. Fort Hays State had one run in the third, one in the fourth and two in the seventh.
– Northwest had five runs on five hits with no errors. The Tigers scored four runs on 11 hits with three errors.
– James Holler scored twice, going 1-for-2 with a walk.
– Alixon Herrera went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. He also drew a walk and had a sacrifice bunt.
– Logan Rycraft went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
– Austin Wulff had an RBI, going 1-for-4 with a stolen base.
– Kolby Greenslade was hit by two pitches in the game.
– Ozzie Adams and Kevin Handzlik both drew a walk in the game.
– Northwest used six pitchers in the game.
– Brad Roberts started and went 3.1 innings in the no-decision, striking out six. He retired six-straight batters between the first and third innings, striking out the side in the second.
– Eddy Kraber worked a scoreless 2.2 innings of relief, allowing just one hit with one strikeout. He did not issue a walk.
– Jacob Wagner to the final two outs of the seventh inning, striking out two while allowing just one hit.
– Austin Battaglia picked up his second win in as many days while working the eighth. He struck out two and issued just one walk.
– Nikko Pablo got his 10th save of the year, working a perfect ninth inning while striking out two of the three batters he faced.
Key Northwest Innings
– Holler started the second with a single to left center and went to second on a wild pitch. Herrera delivered an RBI double to the corner in left for the game’s first run. Greenslade was hit by a pitch put runners on first and second. After a pair of outs, Rycraft hit an RBI single to left, scoring Herrera to make it 2-0 Northwest.
– Kraber entered the game with the bases loaded and one down in the top of the fourth. The right hander recorded a strikeout and then got out of the inning with a flyout to left.
– Rycraft hit a grounder to short to begin the fifth but the throw to first sailed into the dugout, allowing him to reach second. A groundout allowed Rycraft to make it to third. Handzlik drew a walk to put runners on the corners with one away. Figg hit a sacrifice fly to right, driving in Rycraft to put the Bearcats back ahead, 3-2.
– In the eighth, Figg took the second pitch he saw over the wall in center for his fifth home run of the year, tying the game, 4-4. Holler then drew a walk, forcing a pitching change. Herrera laid down a sacrifice bunt and was able to reach after a fielding error by the pitcher. Joseph Curtis came in to pinch run for Herrera. The Bearcats loaded the bases after Greenslade was hit by a pitch for the second time on the day. Holler came in to score after a Wulff popup was ruled an infield fly. The ball dropped in short right field and Holler alertly came in to score the go-ahead run.
Up Next
– Northwest has earned the No. 7 seed in the MIAA tournament and will face No. 2 Missouri Western on Thursday, May 11, at 12:30 p.m. The championship tournament is being held at Warren Turner Field in Joplin, Mo. The homepage can be found HERE.
— Northwest Athletics —
ST. JOSEPH – The 2017 Missouri Western softball team qualified for the program’s fourth straight NCAA Central Regional appearance and the 10th in the last 13 seasons.
