The 2022 Northwest Missouri State University baseball season has faced weather-related changes even before the Bearcats can even open up play this weekend in Arkansas.
 
Northwest was slated to open the season Thursday in Hot Springs, Ark., at the Dugan Invitational set at Majestic Park. However, snow and ice have changed those plans.
 
The Bearcats will open play Saturday vs. Ouachita Baptist in Arkadelphia, Ark., at 3 p.m. Northwest will then play at Henderson State Sunday at 2 p.m., followed by a Monday matchup with Southern Arkansas at 12 p.m. in Hot Springs at Majestic Park.
 
Saturday, Feb. 5
Northwest Missouri State vs. Ouachita Baptist (at Henderson State), 3 p.m. | LIVE STATS
 
Sunday, Feb. 6
Northwest Missouri State at Henderson State, 2 p.m. | LIVE STATS
 
Monday, Feb. 7
Northwest Missouri State vs. Southern Arkansas, 12 p.m. | LIVE STATS
 
Northwest will be under the direction of head coach Darin Loe. Loe has been the Bearcat manager since 2000 and the 2022 season will be his 28th year as a collegiate manager. Loe has posted 695 career wins, including 539 at Northwest.
 
Junior outfielder Ryan Koski is Northwest's top returning hitter. In 2021, Koski led the Bearcats in batting average (.336), hits (48) and doubles (11). Koski notched a team-best 14 multi-hit games as he earned honorable mention all-MIAA status last season.
 
The Bearcats return key pieces of pitching in junior Max Spitzmiller, junior Alex Slocum and senior Spencer Hanson.
 
Spitmiller looks to return following an injury that sidelined him for the majority of the 2021 season, while Slocum and Hanson each earned MIAA honorable mention accolades.
 
Spitmiller has made 28 starts with a mark of 7-11. He has struck out 131 batters. He got 46 batters to whiff last season in 40 innings of work before being shut down.
 
In 2021, Slocum led the Bearcat pitching staff in wins (4), saves (5) and appearances (20). He earned the MIAA's Pitcher of the Week honor as he went seven innings and allowed six hits and two runs (one earned) in defeating No. 3-ranked Central Missouri. The April 25 victory snapped UCM's 24-game winning streak.

Hanson ranked fourth in the MIAA in opponents' batting average (.194). Hanson started 10 games. He went 3-4 with a 5.73 earned run average. Hanson pitched 55 innings with 38 strikeouts.

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The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced its 2022 Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll. Defending MIAA champions Central Missouri was selected first in the poll for the fourth consecutive season.
 
The Mules topped the preseason coaches poll with 120 total points and 10 first-place votes. Central Missouri won the NCAA Division II Central Region Championship for the third consecutive season and went on to compete in the 2021 NCAA Division II National Championship game.
 
Pittsburg State finished second in the poll with 103 points and one first-place vote. Northeastern State received the final first-place vote and finished third with 94 points. Finishing just two points behind the RiverHawks in fourth was Central Oklahoma with 92 points. Missouri Southern rounded out the top-five with 86 points.
 
Washburn was tabbed sixth with 74 points while Emporia State came in seventh with 62 points. Finishing eighth was Rogers State with 56 points, Northwest Missouri came in ninth with 41 points and Fort Hays State claimed the 10^th spot in the poll with 30 points. Missouri Western finished 11^th and Newman concluded the poll in 12^th.
 
The 2022 baseball season begins Tuesday, February 1 with MIAA series set to begin on Friday, February 25^th. To see a complete schedule of all MIAA teams, click here.
 
Below is the complete 2022 MIAA Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
2022 MIAA Baseball Preseason Poll
1. Central Missouri (10) – 120
2. Pittsburg State (1) – 103
3. Northeastern State (1) – 94
4. Central Oklahoma – 92
5. Missouri Southern – 86
6. Washburn – 74
7. Emporia State – 62
8. Rogers State – 56
9. Northwest Missouri – 41
10. Fort Hays State – 30
11. Missouri Western – 18
12. Newman – 16