MARYVILLE, Missouri - The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team earned a split of an MIAA doubleheader with Emporia State University Saturday at the Bearcat Baseball Field.

Emporia State won the opener, 10-0 in seven innings. Northwest rallied for a walk-off 2-1 victory in the second game. The Bearcat offense managed only three hits in the doubleheader.

GAME ONE
Emporia State's Jake Barton tossed a one-hit shutout in game one of a doubleheader with the Northwest Missouri State University Bearcat baseball team.
 
Northwest starter Max Spitzmiller threw innings and got touched up for eight runs (five earned) on five hits. Spitzmiller struck out seven, while walking six Hornet batters.
 
Northwest's Connor Quick tallied the home team's lone hit of the contest, a double to the left field wall with one out in the top of the fourth.
 
Barton struck out nine Bearcats and walked five as he earned his first win of the season. 

GAME TWO
Connor Quick delivered a two-out, two-run walk-off double to left center to lift the Bearcats to a 2-1 triumph. 

ESU starter Jared Kengott kept the Bearcat bats in check throughout the second game. Following a Brett Holden single in the first, Kengott did not allow another hit until Quick's double in the ninth.

ESU's Blake Carroll led off the game with a triple and scored on a groundout to account for the Hornet offense.

Northwest starter Spencer Hanson pitched seven innings and scattered four hits while striking out three Hornet batters. Hanson's last strikeout was pivotal. ESU's Brigham Mooney appeared to break the game open with a three-run homer down the left field line, but it was ruled foul by home plate umpire Josh Mara. Hansen regrouped and struck out Mooney looking to keep it 1-0.

Northwest's Tanner Smith entered in the top of the eighth and got an out before leaving with two runners on base. Alex Slocum extinguished the Hornet rally with a pop up and groundout. Slocum then worked a clean ninth to leave it up to the Bearcat offense to deliver.

Donovan Warren reached first on a strikeout with one out. Holden reached on a two-out walk to set the table for Quick. Quick laced a double to right and both Warren and Holden sped around the base paths for the 2-1 victory.

Slocum got the victory in relief.

The teams will wrap up the three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Bearcat Baseball Field.