PITTSBURG, Kansas - The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team suffered a 14-6 setback to Minot State University in the season opening game for both squads.

Northwest starter Max Spitzmiller kept the Beavers in check through the first two innings by striking out four and not allowing a base hit.

Minot State broke through with a pair of runs in the third. Northwest committed a pair of errors in the fourth allow Minot State to add three runs. The Beavers would tally two more unearned runs in the fifth to push the lead to 7-0.

Northwest got on the board in the sixth on a Ryan Koski sacrifice fly and a solo homer from Peter Carlson.

The Beavers tacked on four runs in the top of the seventh only to see the Bearcats equal it with a four-spot of their own. Matt Gastner singled home a run before Carlson hit a three-run blast to pull the Bearcats to within 11-6 after seven.

Minot State added a single run in the eighth and a pair in the ninth to close out the 14-6 victory.

Spitzmiller threw six innings and struck out 11. He allowed six hits and three earned runs in his 2021 debut.

Carlson led the Bearcat bats with a pair of homers and four RBI. Ethan Judd notched a three-hit day with three singles.

Northwest will return to action tomorrow with games against Minot State (11 a.m.) and Pittsburg State (2 p.m.).