Story Headlines- The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team swept a three-game MIAA series against Lincoln with a 15-6 victory on Sunday at Bearcat Field.
- The Bearcats move to 13-9 overall and 8-4 in MIAA play. The Blue Tigers are now 1-21 on the year and 0-12 in conference action.
- Northwest scored in all eight innings, collecting 13 hits with no errors.
- Nine different players scored runs for the Bearcats, eight different players collected hits and five collected at least one RBI.
- Northwest had a season-high six stolen bases.
- This was the first three-game sweep of the season. It was the sixth time the Beacats have scored 10+ runs, the first time in back-to-back games.
- Northwest's bullpen worked 4.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just three base hits from the fifth inning on.
Key Northwest Statistics- The Bearcats got three in the sixth and eight innings, two in the first, second and seventh innings and single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings.
- Lincoln scored four in the third, one in the fourth and one in the fifth. The Blue tigers had 11 hits and eight errors, leading to eight unearned runs.
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Nick Gotta went 3-for-6 with four RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base. He hit his second home run of the year in the seventh inning.
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Kolby Greenslade was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, an RBI, a walk and a stolen base.
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Kevin Handzlik was 2-for-4 with a run scored, a walk and three stolen bases.
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Derek Meyer was 2-for-5, crossing the plate twice.
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Ozzie Adams was 1-for-3 with three runs scored, two walk, a stolen base and an RBI.
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Jay Hrdlicka went 1-for-5 with a double, two RBI, a run scored and a sacrifice fly.
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Austin Wulff, who entered the game in the third inning, was 1-for-4 with a run scored.
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Jake Lewis got an RBI on a sacrifice fly. He was also hit by a pitch.
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Aaron Barratt drew a pair of walks and scored twice for Northwest.
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Hondo Pearcy, who pinch ran in the eighth for Meyer, scored a run.
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Nikko Pablo picked up his first win of the year, going 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. He had two strikeouts.
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Bryce Shea worked two innings of relief. He struck out four batters, allowing just one hit and one walk.
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Carson Smith, who appeared in a non-save situation, needed just 15 pitches to record the final three outs, two coming by way of the strikeout.
Key Northwest Innings- With one out, Adams walked and went to third on a Hrdlicka double to start the first. Lewis hit a sacrifice fly to score Adams and Hrdlicka, who moved up to third, scored on a wild pitch in the next at bat.
- Gotta grounded out with the bases loaded and no outs to score Meyer from third. Adams drew a bases loaded walk to drive in Northwest's fourth run of the game in the second inning.
- Meyer got a one-out single in the third inning. He moved to second on a Barratt walk and scored on a Greenslade single to left.
- Adams singled to center to lead off the fourth but the ball was misplayed by the centerfielder which allowed Adams to move all the way to third. Hrdlicka hit an 0-2 pitch to deep right, scoring Adams from third.
- Northwest took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth as Greenslade hit a two-out single to center and promptly stole second. Gotta singled to right to score Greenslade to put the Bearcats up, 7-6.
- Handzlik and Wulff hit back-to-back singles with one out in the sixth. After an infield fly, Barratt came up with two down. Barratt hit a grounder to third but the throw to second was dropped by the second baseman. Handzlik came around to score and the right fielder's throw to the plate got away, allowing Wulff and Barratt to score, making it 10-6 Northwest.
- Gotta led off the seventh with a solo shot to right field, making it 11-6. Adams reached on a throwing error by the shortstop and eventuallys scored on another error by the second baseman on a Handzlik grounder.
- Meyer led off the eighth with a single, prompting a pitching change. Pearcy came in to run for Meyer at first. After an out, Greenslade singled to right and Gotta hit an infield single, scoring Pearcy and Greenslade, who came home after an error by the third baseman. Gotta moved all the way to third with the error. Adams hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Gotta to make it 15-6.
Up Next- The Bearcats will head to Kearney, Neb., to take on the Lopers on Tuesday, March 22, at 3 p.m.
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