PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team relied on the arm of starter Max Spitzmiller and clutch hitting from shortstop Jacob Pinkerton but could not overcome a sloppy defensive effort and suffered a 6-5 loss to the Pittsburg State University Gorillas.
 
Pitt State dented the scoreboard in the bottom of the second with an unearned run off Bearcat starter Max Spitzmiller.
 
Northwest drew even in the top of the third with a two-out rally. Brett Holden singled through the left side and moved up to second on a single through the right side by Drew Mackie. Donovan Warren drove in Holden with a single through the left side of the infield to make it 1-1.
 
The Gorillas scored on a home run and two more unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 4-1 advantage.
 
Northwest struck back in the top of the fifth with another two-out rally. Mackie doubled to left after the first two batters of the inning were retired. Warren singled to shortstop to put runners on the corners. Ryan Koski drew a walk to load the bases. Jacob Pinkerton delivered a three-run triple down the right field line to knot it up at 4-4.
 
The Bearcat defense let them down again in the bottom of the fifth with three errors as the Gorillas scored yet another unearned run off Spitzmiller. The Bearcat defense committed six errors through the first five innings of play.
 
Northwest tied it up at 5-5 in the top of the seventh. Warren reached on an error at third. He moved up to second a Koski sacrifice bunt. Pinkerton came through with a ground-rule double to plate Warren.
 
Spitzmiller walked the leadoff batter in the bottom of the eighth and was lifted for Jacob Gajic. Gajic allowed the inherited runner to score on a groundout to give the Gorillas a 6-5 lead.
 
Koski singled up the middle with two outs in the ninth, but could not advance as Pinkerton flew out to center to end it.
 
Spitzmiller took the loss as he went seven-plus innings. He allowed six runs (two earned) and only four hits. Spitzmiller struck out eight and walked two.
 
Pinkerton recorded his second straight three-hit game and delivered four RBI.
 
Game two of the three-game set will get underway Sunday at 1 p.m.