BOX SCORE (PDF)

FORT SMITH, Arkansas – The Northwest Missouri State University Bearcat baseball team came up one run short in the finale of a three-game series at Arkansas-Fort Smith on Sunday.
 
The Lions completed the three-game sweep with an 11-10 win over the Bearcats.
 
Northwest (0-3 overall) pounded out a season-high 19 hits and 10 runs. Senior Jay Hrdlicka tied a career-high with four hits. Fellow senior Alixon Herrera knocked in a career-high six RBI.
 
Northwest struck early when Herrera connected on a three-run home run to left field in the top of the first.
 
UAFS answered with three runs in the second to knot the game at 3-3. Northwest retook the lead in the third on an RBI single from Peter Carlson that plated Hrdlicka.
 
However that lead did not hold up as UAFS put up a six-spot in the bottom half of the third to take a 9-4 advantage.
 
The Bearcats got a run back in the fourth when Hrdlicka knocked in Derek Hussey with an RBI single. Hussey put together a three-hit game for the Bearcats.
 
The Lions added single runs in the fourth and sixth innings to up the margin to 11-5.
 
Northwest put together three hits in the sixth inning but could not score and left the bases loaded.
 
Northwest rallied with a five-run eighth inning to pull within one of the home squad. Herrera belted a one-out, three-run double to trim the Lions's lead to 11-8. Logan Rycraft tallied a two-out, two-run double that had the Bearcats to within a single run. But Mondesi Gutierrez grounded out to end the inning.
 
Hrdlicka singled with one out in the ninth for his fourth hit of the game. He was lifted for pinch runner Jonathan Hernandez, but he was stranded at first when Connor Quick struck out and Herrera flied out to right to end it.
 
Max Spitzmiller took the loss for the Bearcats. Spitzmiller went 2 1/3 innings and gave up nine runs (seven earned), six hits and four walks while striking out two.
 
Northwest will remain on the road and travel to Southeastern Oklahoma State for a Tuesday matchup at 1 p.m. in Durant, Oklahoma.
 
NOTES: Hussey, Hrdlicka, Quick and Herrera each scored two runs … Gibson Brown pitched 2 2/3 of relief and struck out a team-high three batters.