The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team fell to William Jewell, 6-5, on Wednesday in Liberty, Mo.

The Bearcats are now 8-8 overall while the Cardinals improve to 4-6.

Mondesi Gutierrez finished the day 4-for-4, with a double, two runs scored and two RBIs.

Key Northwest Statistics
– Northwest scored twice in the third and three times in the fourth. The Cardinals scored once in second, three times in the third, once in the fourth and once in the bottom of the tenth.
– The Bearcats had five runs on 10 hits with two errors. William Jewell had six runs on 10 hits with one error.
– Hudson Bilodeau went 2-for-5 with two RBIs.
– Luke Hassman was 1-for-4 and drew a walk.
– Jay Hrdlicka and Matt Schingel were both 1-for-4 and each scored a run.
– Aaron Barratt went 1-for-3, with an RBI and a double.
– Kevin Handzlik drew a walk and scored a run.
– Joe Funkhouser started the game and went 3.2 innings. He allowed seven hits and three earned runs. He struck out two and walked three.
– Jimmy McElwain pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless relief. He did not allow a hit, did not walk anyone and struck out three batters.
– Hondo Pearcy allowed two hits in 2.2 innings of work. He allowed zero runs, struck out one and walked two.

Key Northwest Innings
– Schingel and Gutierrez singled back-to-back to start the inning. Barratt had a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher to advance Gutierrez to second. After an out, Bilodeau singled up the middle to score Schingel and Gutierrez.

– In the fourth, Hassman singled to left field to lead off. Handzlik walked and Hrdlicka to right field to load the bases. A double play wiped out a pair of Bearcat runners, but Gutierrez’s single up the middle drove in Hrdlicka and Handzlik. The next batter Barratt, doubled down the left field line to score Gutierrez to give Northwest the lead, 5-4.

Up Next
– Northwest will take on Northeastern State on Friday, March 9, at 2 p.m. in Maryville, Mo, for the team’s home opener.

— Northwest Athletics —

MARYVILLE, Mo.- Northwest Missouri State University Director of Athletics Mel Tjeerdsma has accepted the resignation of Women’s Basketball Head Coach Buck Scheel.

“I would like to thank Coach Scheel for his commitment to Bearcat athletics and for his effort to rebuild our women’s basketball program,” said Tjeerdsma. “I wish him the best in the next step of his career.”

Scheel arrived at Northwest as an assistant coach prior to the start of the 2013-14 season. He was named interim head coach during the 2015-16 season, coaching the team’s final 18 games. On March 22, 2016, he was named the eighth head coach in Northwest history.

Heather Howard, who has served as assistant coach of the women’s basketball program for the last two seasons, has been appointed as interim head coach. She will oversee all women’s basketball operations until a full-time replacement is named.

— Northwest Athletics —

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Northwest Missouri State University men’s basketball team secured the MIAA’s automatic bid and the NCAA Central Region’s top seed to the 2017-18 NCAA Tournament. The Bearcats will now host a seven-game regional tournament in Maryville, Mo., starting Saturday, March 10.

Northwest’s first round game against No. 8 seed Minnesota State is scheduled for Saturday, March 10, at 6 p.m. at Bearcat Arena. The second round will be on Sunday, March 11 and the Sweet 16 round will be on Tuesday, March 13. The National Championship Elite Eight will be held in Sioux Falls, S.D., starting on Tuesday, March 20. Northwest has advanced to the Central Region championship game each of the past four seasons and captured the NCAA National Championship in 2016-17.

Northwest is making its 18th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the sixth appearance under head coach Ben McCollum (12-4 overall). McCollum, who is in his ninth season, led the Bearcatsto a fifth-straight MIAA regular season title and third-straight MIAA Tournament title. Justin Pitts was named the MIAA Player of the Year for the third straight year and earned first team All-MIAA honors for the fourth time.

NCAA Central Region
1. Northwest Missouri (Host)
2. Northern State
3. Southern Nazarene
4. Southwest Minnesota State
5. Missouri Southern State
6. St. Cloud State
7. Washburn
8. Minnesota State

Saturday, March 10
Noon: No. 3 Southern Nazarene vs. No. 6 St. Cloud State (Session 1)
2:15 p.m.: No. 2 Northern State vs. No. 7 Washburn (Session 1)

6 p.m.: No. 1 Northwest Missouri vs. No. 8 Minnesota State (Session 2)
8:15 p.m.: No. 4 Southwest Minnesota State vs. No. 5 Missouri Southern (Session 2)

Sunday, March 11
5 p.m.: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
7:30 p.m.: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

Tuesday, March 13
7 p.m.: Championship Game

— Northwest Athletics —