MARYVILLE, Mo. - The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team took its second straight game against the Fort Hays State University Tigers at Bearcat Field, 7-6.

Northwest improved to 17-25 overall and 11-18 in MIAA play. FHSU fell to 4-37 overall and 3-26 in league action.

Bearcat starter Zach Wiese earned the victory as he went five innings. Wiese moved to 4-4 on the year as he pitched five innings of six-hit ball. Wiese was tagged for five runs (all earned), while he struck out four Tigers.

Middle reliever Alexander Lovin worked the bridge from the sixth to the eighth. Lovin allowed three hits and struck out three, while allowing a run in the eighth.

Closer Jacob Gajic earned his fifth save of the season as he worked around a one-out single in the ninth. Gajic induced a pair of flyouts to secure the save and the victory for the Bearcats.

Northwest's offense jump-started the contest with a six-run first inning. The first six Bearcats reached base including three straight singles from Jacob Pinkerton, Brett Holden and Brett Mackie to begin the inning. Donovan Warren reached on a fielder's choice to third that plated Pinkerton for the first run. Ryan Koski came through on an RBI single to score Mackie from second to give Northwest a 2-1 lead. Ryan Williams hit a sacrifice fly to center to plate Warren for a 3-1 advantage. Jordan Peck delivered the biggest blow of the inning - a three-run bomb to left to put the Bearcats on top, 6-1.

FHSU scored three runs on two hits and took advantage of two hit batsmen in the second to answer back to within 6-4.

The Bearcats final run of the game came in the fourth inning. Mackie doubled to deep left. He moved to third on a groundout to first by Warren. Mackie finished his circuit of the base paths when Koski knocked him in with a single to push the Northwest lead to 7-4.

Northwest and Fort Hays State will wrap up the three-game series Monday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at the Bearcat Baseball Field.

NOTES: Northwest honored its senior class prior to the game ... the Bearcats honored 10 seniors in the ceremony ... Drew Mackie went 2-for-2 and reached base ball five times on Sunday ... Mackie scored two runs ... in addition to his single and double, Mackie reached on two walks and was hit by a pitch ... Mackie has tallied 12 multi-hit games this season ... Brett Holden also notched two hits and has posted 14 multi-hit contests in 2022 ... Holden has reached base in 17 consecutive games ... Ryan Koski secured his ninth multi-hit game of the season ... Peck's home run was his second of the season ... Caden Diel and Jake Emhardt each extended their hitting streaks to five games.