The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team (8-11 overall, 7-8 MIAA) returns home for a three-game series Friday and Saturday against the Missouri Western State University Griffons (5-10, 6-13 MIAA).
  
Missouri Western at Northwest Missouri State
Friday, April 2 | Bearcat Baseball Field | Maryville, Missouri
Game One, 12 p.m. – MIAA NETWORK | LIVE STATS
Game Two, 3 p.m. – MIAA NETWORK | LIVE STATS

Saturday, April 3 | Bearcat Baseball Field | Maryville, Missouri
Game Three, 1 p.m. MIAA NETWORK | LIVE STATS
 
The Griffons lead the all-time series with the Bearcats, 72-62. Northwest come into Friday's doubleheader having won two of three games at Newman University, while Missouri Western lost two of three at home to Northeastern State.
 
The Bearcats rank No. 7 in the country in double plays turned (19). The Bearcats are averaging 1.68 double plays per game in 2021.

Junior Spencer Hanson continues to lead the MIAA in opponents' batting average (.155). Hanson's 3.22 ERA ranks ninth in the MIAA. He is 2-2 with 29 strikeouts in six starts. Hanson has allowed 13 runs and 18 hits in 36 1/3 innings pitched.
 
Freshman Zach Wiese lowered his ERA to 3.69 after he pitched 6 2/3 innings and got a no decision at Newman this past Saturday. Wiese set a season-high with six strikeouts vs. the Jets. Wiese has pitched 31 2/3 innings with 20 strikeouts.
 
Junior Max Spitzmiller has pitched a team-high 39 innings and leads the squad with 45 strikeouts. Spitzmiller ranks third in the MIAA in innings pitched. His 35 strikeouts rank fifth-best in the league. Spitzmiller tossed a complete game three-hitter in a 12-2 victory over Newman to earn his seventh career pitching victory for the Bearcats. It was Spitz's second career complete game.
 
Sophomore Alex Slocum is 3-0 with a team-high three saves. Slocum has appeared in a team-high 11 games, which ranks No. 11 in NCAA Division II this season. He has pitched 14 1/3 innings with a 7.53 ERA.
 
Junior Blaine Hanf has a 1.42 ERA and 0.66 WHIP in MIAA games. Hanf has pitched in seven league games and has allowed only three hits and one earned run in 6 1/3 innings pitched. Hanf has not allowed a run in six straight appearances entering this week's play. MIAA hitters are batting .150 against Hanf.
 
Sophomore left fielder Ryan Koski leads the Bearcats in batting average (.329), hits (23) and multi-hit games (8). Koski has recorded a hit in 15 games.
 
Junior shortstop Jacob Pinkerton has scored a team-high 16 runs. Pinkerton is batting .254 overall with 17 hits. Pinkerton has drawn a team-best 14 walks. Pinkerton has hit in five straight games entering Friday's contests with Missouri Western.
 
Sophomore third baseman Brett Holden is Northwest's top hitter since league play has begun with a .291 batting average. Holden has 16 hits in 55 at-bats in MIAA games. Holden has tallied a team-high six doubles. Holden will take a five-game hitting streak into the Missouri Western series. Holden ranks No. 6 in the country with five sacrifice hits.

Sophomore center fielder Drew Mackie is tied for the team-high with 14 RBI. Mackie is the only Bearcat to have reached base via a single, a double, a triple and a home run this season.
 
Junior right fielder Donovan Warren is tops on the squad in outfield assists (4). Warren batted .556 against Newman with five hits in nine at-bats before suffering a hamstring injury on a double. Warren connected on a pair of home runs, including a grand slam, against Newman. Warren leads the team with a .457 slugging percentage.
 
Bearcat skipper Darin Loe has posted 690 career victories. He is closing in on 700 victories. There are currently 26 active NCAA Division II head coaches with at least 700 wins. Loe is Northwest's all-time wins leader with 534. Loe is one of five head coaches all-time to reach 500 wins in the MIAA.