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Story Headlines
- The Northwest Missouri State University baseball beat Fort Hays State on Sunday afternoon at Bearcat Field in Maryville, Mo., 4-3.
- Northwest moves to 12-12 on the year and 9-7 in MIAA play. The Tigers drop to 4-17 overall and 4-12 in conference action.
- The Bearcats gave up two runs in the top of the ninth but rebounded by scoring the winning run in the bottom of the ninth on a bases loaded walk by freshman Nick Howard.
- The win gives Northwest its first MIAA series win, beating the Tigers 3-1 over the weekend.
 
Key Northwest Statistics
- The Bearcats scored one run in the first, one in the seventh, one in the eighth and the winning run in the ninth.
- Northwest had four runs on six hits but committed three errors.
- Fort Hays scored three runs on nine hits with four errors. The Tigers had a single run in the third and two in the ninth.
- Nikko Pablo got the start and went 6.2 innings, allowing six hits with eight strikeouts. He walked one batter and allowed just one unearned run.
- Carson Smith got the win, going 2.1 innings, allowing three hits and two runs. He struck out three batters.
- Nick Gotta was 2-for-5 on the day with a run scored.
- Austin Wulff was 1-for-1 with a run scored. He was walked once and scored the winning run after getting hit by a pitch to start the ninth.
- Luke Wilkinson hit his second double of the season, going 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk.
- Derek Meyer was 1-for-3.
- Kolby Greenslade drew a walk, hit a sacrifice fly and stole his fifth base of the season.
- Paul Johnson had an RBI and stole a base.
- Steven Garber scored a run and drew a pair of walks.
 
Key Northwest Innings
- In the bottom of the first, Gotta reached on an error to lead off and moved to second on a wild pitch. After Greenslade drew a walk, Johnson laid down a bunt and beat the throw to first. The ball got away from the first baseman, allowing Gotta to score from first to put Northwest up 1-0.
 
- With the score tied heading into the bottom of the seventh, Derek Meyer led off with a single up the middle. He was pinch ran for by Aaron Barratt who moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Austin Wulff. Barratt moved to third after a failed pick off attempt at second. Gotta struck out but the third strike got away from the catcher, allowing him to reach first safely, putting runners on the corners with just one out, prompting a Tiger pitching change. Greenslade took the second pitch he saw and lifted it to deep right field for a sacrifice fly to score Barratt from third to put Northwest up 2-1.
 
- Garber led off the bottom of the eighth by reaching on an error by the third baseman. He moved over to second after a sacrifice bunt by Nick Howard. After a strikeout, Wilkinson smashed a ball to deep right center for a double, scoring Garber from second to make it 3-1.
 
- Wulff led off the bottom of the ninth by getting hit by a pitch. Gotta came up next looking move Wulff over with a sacrifice bunt to second, but the ball got past the pitcher and Gotta reached safely, putting runners on first and second with no outs. Greenslade was unable to advance the runners on a bunt attempt and Johnson flew out to center for the second out. Garber drew a walk to load the bases. Howard worked a full count and drew the game-winning bases loaded walk to give Northwest the 4-3 victory.
 
Up Next
- The Bearcats will play a pair of midweek non-conference games beginning on Tuesday, March 24, at Quincy, followed by a Wednesday game at Culver-Stockton.