WICHITA, Kansas – The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team put an end to a four-game losing skid with a commanding 12-2, seven-inning win over the Newman University Jets on Friday afternoon.
 
Northwest improves to 7-10 overall and 6-7 in MIAA play, while Newman drops to 3-9 overall and 2-8 in league play.
 
Junior Donovan Warren hit a pair of home runs, including a grand slam, and drove in five runs, while sophomore Brett Holden delivered a four-hit game from the two-hole in the lineup.
 
Junior starter Max Spitzmiller struck out 10 and pitched a complete game three-hitter in improving to 2-3 on the season.
 
Senior Connor Quick snapped out of a 2-for-21 batting slump with a two-out, RBI double to score Brett Holden in the top of the first. Holden had reached on a one-out double down the left field line.
 
Junior Donovan Warren led off the third inning with a home run to left to put Northwest up 2-0. It was Warren's first of the season and second of his Bearcat career.
 
Spitzmiller allowed a Newman run in the third on a single, stolen base and single up the middle.
 
The Bearcats blew it open in the fourth when the first five batters reached. Warren was the fifth batter in the inning and he cranked a grand slam to left field after Ethan Judd had walked with the bases loaded. Warren's grand slam gave Northwest a 7-1 lead.
 
Northwest added a three-spot in the top of the seventh. Warren reached on an error and moved up to second on a wild pitch. Jacob Pinkerton drew a walk and Holden loaded the bases when he reached on a bunt single. Drew Mackie delivered a two-run double down the left field to give Northwest a 9-1 lead. Ryan Koski lofted a sacrifice fly to center to score Holden to up the advantage to 10-1.
 
Newman tallied a run in the bottom half of the sixth. Spitzmiller hit the leadoff batter Tyler Push. Push stole second and then scored on an RBI single to right by Jake Angelico. Spitzmiller retired the next three hitters in a row to stymie the Newman scoring threat.
 
The Bearcats went back to work in the seventh. Warren drew a one-out walk and stole second. Pinkerton came through with an RBI double to center to plate Warren for his fourth run of the game. Holden followed with another double to put runners on second and third. Mackie drove in Pinkerton with a sacrifice fly to center to lift the Bearcat lead to 12-2.
 
Spitzmiller worked around a pair of leadoff walks in the bottom of the seventh as he struck out two more Jet batters to close out the 12-2 victory.
 
Northwest and Newman will wrap up the three-game set on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon in Wichita.
 
NOTES: The Bearcats pounded out 12 hits and drew six walks … Brett Holden recorded Northwest's first four-hit game of the season … the last Bearcat to produce four hits in a game was Connor Quick last year vs. Northeastern State (2/29/20) … Donovan Warren delivered a career-high five RBI – the most for a Bearcat since Matt Gastner drove in six last year vs. Southeastern Oklahoma State (2/1/2020) … Spitzmiller has struck out a team-high 45 hitters this season … Spitzmiller was credited with his seventh career victory on the hill … Bearcat skipper Darin Loe recorded his 689th career victory … Loe has posted 533 wins at Northwest.