The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team will take to the diamond in Arkadelphia, Ark., with four games on the docket as a part of the Henderson State Invitational this weekend.
 
Friday, Feb. 11
Northwest Missouri State at Ouachita Baptist, 1 p.m. | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
Northwest Missouri State vs. No. 11 Southern Arkansas, 6 p.m. | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
 
Saturday, Feb. 12
Northwest Missouri State vs. St. Cloud State, 2:30 p.m. | LIVE STATS
 
Sunday, Feb. 13
Northwest Missouri State at Henderson State, 11 a.m. | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
 
The Bearcats began the season last weekend with a 1-0 win over Ouachita Baptist, before falling at Henderson State by a 2-1 count in 10 innings and suffering a 10-2 setback to Southern Arkansas.
 
Junior outfielder Donovan Warren earned Dugan Invitational All-Tournament team honors after hitting .500 in the three games. Warren went 5-for-10 at the plate with a pair of doubles and an RBI. He possesses a 1.343 OPS heading into this weekend's slate of games.
 
Ryan Williams and Warren each tallied a three-hit game this past weekend. Umbarger laced three singles vs. Southern Arkansas. Warren went 3-for-4 with a walk against Southern Arkansas. Cole Slibowski delivered a two-hit game vs. Ouachita Baptist
 
Junior right-handed starter Max Spitzmiller was dealing in his first outing of the season. Spitzmiller tossed eight innings of four-hit shutout ball in helping the Bearcats to a 1-0 win over Ouachita Baptist. Spitzmiller struck out nine and did not walk a batter. All four hits he allowed went for singles vs. Ouachita Baptist. Spitzmiller will bring an 8-11 career mark into this weekend's Henderson State Classic.
 
Spitzmiller is tied for No. 10 all-time in pitching strikeouts for the Bearcats. Spitzmiller had six strikeouts in 2018, 52 in 2019, 27 in 2020, 46 in 2021 and nine so far this season.
 
Northwest Career Pitching Strikeouts
1. 324, Joseph Hietpas, 2015-18
2. 267, Anthony Caenepeel, 2015-17
3. 256, Brad Roberts, 2015-18
4. 223, Scott Kurtz, 1966-69
5. 187, Tom Franke, 1977-80
6. 163, Bret Harvel, 2007-09
7. 153, Tom Franke, 1978-80
8. 152, Nikko Pablo, 2014-17
9. 148, Tom Funk, 1981-83
10. 140, Steve Nelson, 1988-89
      140, Max Spitzmiller, 2018-pres.
 
Spitzmiller also ranks No. 10 on Northwest's career innings pitched chart. Spitzmiller has logged 160 innings pitched in his Bearcat career. Spitzmiller has logged 5.0 innings in 2018, 73.1 innings in 2019, 34.0 innings in 2020, 40.0 innings in 2021 and 8.0 innings so far in 2022.
 
Northwest Career Innings Pitched
1. 302.2, Joseph Hietpas, 2015-18
2. 294.1, Brad Roberts, 2015-18
3. 278.0, Anthony Caenepeel, 2015-17
4. 255.0, Tom Franke, 1977-80
5. 225.2, Chase Anderson, 2010-13
6. 215.0, Bret Harvel, 2007-09
7. 201.0, Dale Kisker, 1979-81
8. 193.0, Nikko Pablo, 2014-17
9. 190.1, Tom Funk, 1981-83
10. 160.0, Max Spitzmiller, 2018-pres.
 
Junior Alex Slocum led the Bearcats with five saves in 2021 and he picked up right where he left off last year. Slocum pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning that included two strikeouts to secure his sixth career save in Northwest's 1-0 victory over Ouachita Baptist. With his next save, Slocum would join Northwest's top-10 list for career saves.
 
Northwest Career Saves
1. 23, Trevor Dudar, 2018-19
2. 17, Carson Smith, 2011-16
3. 15, Matt Goodman, 2000-01
4. 13, Brett Whittle, 2006-07
5. 12, Jayson Huett, 2010-11
6. 11, Nikko Pablo, 2014-17
7. 9, Evan Nickell, 2007-08
8. 8, Matt Coons, 2003-06
9. 7, Brett Rust, 2002
    7, Troy Newman, 1984-85
 
Bearcat skipper Darin Loe has produced 696 career wins in 28 seasons as a collegiate head coach. Loe has posted 540 victories for the Bearcats. When Loe reached 700 career wins he would become the 23rd active NCAA Division II coach with at least 700 victories. Only Pittsburg State's Bob Fornelli has picked up more wins as an active MIAA manager than Loe. Fornelli has posted 982 wins in coaching stops at Fort Hays State, Emporia State and Pittsburg State.
 
Loe's coaching stops have included Missouri Valley, Baker and Northwest. He has produced 24 20-win seasons and six 30-win campaigns as a collegiate manager.
 
Northwest Coaching Record
540-561 – Northwest (2000-pres.)
82-67 – Baker (1997-1999)
74-67 – Missouri Valley (1994-1996)