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By David Boyce  |  Northwest Baseball at Oklahoma Christian  |  Feb. 24, 25 and 26  |  Edmond, Okla.  |  All games at 1 p.m.

MARYVILLE, Mo. - A year ago, a group of juniors at Northwest Missouri State were determined the baseball program was going to change its fortune in the MIAA.
 
After missing the conference tournament their first two years, the Bearcats reached postseason and won their second game, eliminating Missouri Southern.
 
That taste of success has made the 2017 Bearcats hungry for much more.
 
"We are taking it one game at a time, but we do have a goal to win conference and from there, go to regional," Northwest senior pitcher Nikko Pablo.
 
Actions always speak louder than words. In the first week of the season, the Bearcats proved they are ready to have a special season. They won their first six games in a swing through Oklahoma and Arkansas.
 
The six straight victories to start the season matched the best start in the program's history, equaling the 1964 and 1973 teams.
 
"It was pretty cool to match it," Pablo said. "We are just playing our game and having fun doing it. We showed up to the ballpark and won a lot of ball games."
 
The way the Bearcats won their sixth straight shows the grit they are bringing into the season. Northwest pushed across a run in the top of the eighth to tie the game at 6-6.
 
Pitching dominated the rest of the way. The game went into the 15^th still tied 6-6. Pablo, pitching in relief, had already thrown 7.1 innings by the time the game reached the 15^th.
 
 "I was just really focused," Pablo said. "I just went out there and threw strikes. The defense had my back. I was a little sore after the game. It was all worth it. It was really fun to get the win. It was a dogfight for sure. I am really happy we came out with a win."
 
The Bearcats scored four in the 15^th and Pablo closed out the game for the victory. He allowed only five hits in 8.1 innings while striking out five.
 
Northwest winning streak came to an end Sunday with a loss to Truman State. Listening to Pablo on Tuesday, it is easy to tell the confidence of the Bearcats remain high. They are eager for their next challenge. They head back to Oklahoma this weekend and will take on Oklahoma Christian for three games Friday-Sunday in Edmond, Okla.
 
"They are very important," Pablo said. "We have to take advantage of every game we play. We did some scouting on them. We know they are a good team."
 
After these games, Northwest jumps into conference play with nine straight MIAA games before a little nonconference break with games against William Jewell and Rockhurst in mid-March.
 
"We are more experienced," Pablo said. "Hopefully, we will have a better year than last year. We have started 6-1. It is exactly where we wanted to start. We are all excited. We are ready to get conference going."
 
Just about everything is breaking the Bearcats' way, even the weather. Pablo is from Stockton, Calif. He grew up playing baseball all year. Normally, you can't play baseball all year in Maryville. There is generally snow on the ground with temperatures in the teens and 20s in January and February.
 
But this has been a different kind of winter. The Bearcats have been able to practice more than normal outdoors, and that has made a big difference in fielding grounders and judging fly balls in games.
 
"It was a little chilly, but the fact we could go out to the ballpark in January in Maryville was awesome," Pablo said.
 
It is also awesome that the Northwest baseball team is playing well so early in the season.
 
"Going back to our freshman year, we all knew our junior year was going to be our year," Pablo said. "Now, we are all excited and ready to go to get things going our senior year."