The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team (12-18 overall, 10-14 MIAA) will make the trek to Warrensburg, Missouri, to take on the No. 3-ranked University of Central Missouri Mules (27-4 overall, 23-1 MIAA) for a three-game series.

Northwest Missouri State at No. 3 Central Missouri
Saturday, April 24 | Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field | Warrensburg, Missouri
Game One, 1 p.m. – MIAA NETWORK | LIVE STATS
Game Two, 4 p.m. – MIAA NETWORK | LIVE STATS

Sunday, April 25 | Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field | Warrensburg, Missouri
Game Three, 1 p.m. – LIVE STATS
 
Northwest and Central Missouri will renew their rivalry in the diamond this weekend with a three-game set at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field in Warrensburg, Missouri. The series began in 1956 and the Mules hold a 140-69-1 lead in the all-time series. Northwest and UCM have split the last eight meetings over the previous three years with both squads posting four victories.
 
Northwest is tied with Rogers State for seventh in the MIAA standings heading into this week's action at UCM. Northwest swept Rogers State earlier this season to give the Bearcats a tiebreaker with the Hillcats.
 
The Bearcats rank No. 8 in the nation in double plays turned (25). Mississippi College leads the nation with 33 double plays turned. Central Oklahoma ranks second in the MIAA with 21 double plays turned.
 
Northwest is 8-1 this season when the Bearcats out-hit their opposition.

Northwest is 10-2 when leading after five innings. The Bearcats are 9-0 when leading after eight innings. The Bearcats are only 2-15 when trailing after eight innings.
 
Northwest is 7-2 when scoring eight or more runs. The Bearcats are 9-1 when limiting the opposition to five runs or less.
 
Junior starting pitcher Spencer Hanson ranks second in the MIAA in opponents' batting average (.176). Hanson has started a team-high eight games. He is 3-3 with a 4.95 earned run average. Hanson has pitched 43 2/3 innings with 30 strikeouts. Hanson has allowed 26 hits and 27 runs (24 earned) while walking 29. He has also hit nine batters.
 
Freshman starting pitcher Zach Wiese is 2-3 in seven starts. He has pitched a team-best 51 1/3 innings with 25 strikeouts. Wiese has pitched at least six innings in each of his last six starts.
 
Junior starting pitcher Max Spitzmiller leads the squad with 46 strikeouts. Spitzmiller is 2-3 on the season but has been sidelined since an April 2 start vs. Missouri Western.
 
Sophomore reliever Alex Slocum is tied for sixth in the nation with 17 pitching appearances. Slocum is also tied for No. 12 in the nation in saves (5). His five saves rank him third in the MIAA. Slocum is 3-1 with an 8.55 ERA and 18 strikeouts.
 
Junior reliever Blaine Hanf has appeared in 11 MIAA games and has a 2.92 ERA. Hanf has pitched 12 1/3 innings of league play and has allowed eight hits and six runs (four earned), while striking out 11. Hanf has given up only one hit this season with two outs. Opposing batters are hitting .053 against him with two outs (1-for-19). He has allowed only five hits in 29 at-bats with runners on base (.172).
 
Redshirt freshman reliever Tanner Smith has allowed only one hit to a leadoff hitter in 12 chances. Smith has struck out 10 batters in 14 2/3 innings of work. Smith has one save.

Sophomore left fielder Ryan Koski leads the Bearcats in batting average (.352), hits (38), doubles (9), multi-hit games (12) and two-out hits (14). Koski is 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts. Koski is the toughest Bearcat starter to strikeout with only 15 strikeouts in 108 at bats. Entering the series with Central Missouri, Mackie has reached base in 15 consecutive games. Koski has started all 30 games in left field this season.
 
Junior shortstop Jacob Pinkerton is tied for team-high honors with 20 runs scored. Pinkerton is batting .270 with 30 hits. Pinkerton ranks No. 5 in the MIAA in walks (20). Pinkerton connected on his first two collegiate home runs last weekend against Fort Hays State. He entered the series with 190 at-bats as a Bearcat having not hit a home run. In game two of the series with FHSU, Pinkerton went 4-for-4 with two homers and three RBI. Pinkerton has started all 30 games at shortstop this season.
 
Junior right fielder Peter Carlson leads the Bearcats in home runs (8) and RBI (26). Carlson is batting .224 with 24 hits and 22 runs scored. Carlson has posted a team-high eight multi-RBI games. In the second game of the series with FHSU, Carlson went 2-for-3 with two homers. It was Carlson's second two-homer game of the season and third of his career. Carlson tallied two homers vs. Minot State in this year's season-opener on Feb. 22 and he also had a two-homer game vs. Emporia State on May 5, 2019. Carlson has belted 22 career home runs, with 18 of those coming at Northwest. Carlson hit four home runs while playing his freshman season at Nebraska-Kearney in 2018. Carlson ranks tied for No. 8 on Northwest's all-time home run chart.
 
NORTHWEST CAREER - HOME RUNS
1.   Adam Bailey, 1998-2001 - 40
2.   Britt Westman, 2005-08 - 36
3.   Brandon Kirsch, 2007-10 - 35
      John Sipes, 2000-03 - 35
5.   Scott Spurgeon, 1987-88 - 30
6.   Kyle Gallagher, 2003-05 - 26
7.   Zac Ruff, 2000-02 - 22
8.   Chuck Lynn, 1982-83 - 18
       Peter Carlson, 2019-pr. - 18
10. Dave Svehla, 1990-92 - 17
      Bryan Wandrey, 1991-92 - 17
      Eric Swain, 2012-13 - 17
 
Sophomore third baseman Brett Holden is batting .259 with 29 hits and seven doubles. He ranks tied for No. 3 in the MIAA with five sacrifice bunts. Holden has started all 28 games, including 25 at third base and five at second base.

Sophomore center fielder Drew Mackie ranks second on the squad with 26 RBI in 30 games played. Mackie has nine multi-hit games and five multi-RBI contests in 2021.
 
Junior first baseman Matt Gastner is batting .289 and possesses a team-best .526 slugging percentage. Gastner ranks second on the team in homers (4). Gastner tallied long balls in game two and game three of the series at Fort Hays State. He will take a five-game hitting streak into the three-game set at Central Missouri.
 
Senior first baseman/designated hitter Connor Quick is hitting .263 with 31 hits and 22 RBI. Quick has played in 98 career games at Northwest and possesses a .350 career average. Quick has a .524 career slugging percentage. Quick has started in 29 games – 14 at first base and 15 at designated hitter.
 
Redshirt freshman catcher Ethan Judd is batting .300 with 12 hits in 40 at bats. Judd has thrown out a team-high five base stealers.
 
Bearcat skipper Darin Loe has posted 694 career victories. He is closing in on 700 victories. There are currently 28 active NCAA Division II head coaches with at least 700 wins. Loe is Northwest's all-time wins leader with 538. Loe is one of five head coaches all-time to reach 500 wins in the MIAA.