Friday, April 29
Northwest Missouri State at Rogers State, 2 p.m. | MIAA Network | Live Stats
 
Saturday, April 30
Northwest Missouri State at Rogers State, 2 p.m. |  MIAA Network | Live Stats
 
Sunday, May 1
Northwest Missouri State at Rogers State, 1 p.m. |  MIAA Network | Live Stats
 
The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team will look to secure a spot in the 2022 MIAA Tournament as the Bearcats wrap up MIAA play with a three-game series at Rogers State University.
 
The Bearcats (18-25, 12-18 MIAA) and Hillcats (24-22, 15-15 MIAA) will meet in Claremore, Okla., at the Diamond Sports Complex. The three-game set will get underway Friday at 2 p.m. Game two is set for Saturday at 2 p.m., with the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Northwest enters the final weekend of regular season play in a three-way tie for the eighth and final MIAA Tournament spot. Northwest is knotted with Emporia State and Newman at 12-18 in league play. With a series sweep of Rogers State, the Bearcats could also catch the Hillcats for the No. 7 seed in the MIAA Tournament.
 
MIAA Standings
1. Central Missouri     27-3
2. Northeastern State 20-10
    PIttsburg State        20-10
4. Washburn               18-12
    Central Oklahoma   18-12
6. Missouri Southern  15-15
    Rogers State            15-15
8. Northwest Mo. St.  12-18
    Emporia State         12-18
    Newman                 12-18
11. Missouri Western 8-22
12. Fort Hays State     3-27
 
This Weekend's MIAA Series Matchups
Central Missouri at Fort Hays State
Northeastern State at Newman
Pittsburg State at Washburn
Emporia State at Central Oklahoma
Missouri Western at Missouri Southern
Northwest Missouri State at Rogers State
 
Northwest possesses the fourth-best pitching ERA (5.42) in the MIAA. Northwest pitchers have struck out 342 batters to rank No. 6 in the league in punchouts. Northwest is tied for second in the league in shutouts (4).
 
The Bearcats have won seven straight games when scoring 10 or more runs this season. Northwest has scored 10 or more runs nine times this year.
 
Senior outfielder Donovan Warren leads the team in batting average (.317), hits (51), RBI (45), triples (3) and multi-hit games (16). He ranks second on the squad in OPS (.905) and walks (23). Of his 16 multi-hit games he has 11 two-hit games, two three-hit games and three four-hit contests. Warren has nine multi-RBI games – including a 7-RBI performance against Newman. His seven-RBI performance ranks tied for the second-highest single game effort this year in the MIAA. He has tallied three outfield assists. Warren has posted a team-best 33 hits (.359 avg.) with runners on base this season. He is 5-for-10 with the bases loaded. Warren is batting .392 (24-of-61) with runners in scoring position. He is 17-of-19 with a runner on third and less than two outs in an inning for an .895 average. Warren has driven in 18 runs with two outs.
 
Junior outfielder Drew Mackie is Northwest's top slugger with a .519 slugging percentage. He has recorded 21 extra-base hits (13 doubles, two triples and six home runs). Mackie is batting .300 overall (.320 MIAA games). Mackie is tied for the team lead in stolen bases (6). Mackie has produced eight multi-RBI games. He ranks tied for third on the team in multi-hit games (12). Mackie hit for the cycle at Pittsburg State on March 13. Mackie leads the team with 23 two-out base hits. He is hitting .383 with two outs (23-of-60). He leads the team with 20 two-out RBI.
 
Senior shortstop Jacob Pinkerton is hitting .296 with 47 hits. Pinkerton is tied for the team lead with 30 runs scored. He has tallied 12 multi-hit games including a four-hit contest against Fort Hays State (April 25). It was Pinkerton's second four-hit game of his collegiate career. He also had a four-hit performance at Fort Hays State on April 21, 2021. Pinkerton six multi-RBI contests this season.
 
Senior infielder Brett Holden holds the team lead in hit-by-pitches (12) and sacrifice bunts (10). Holden ranks second in the MIAA in sacrifice bunts. He is tied for the team lead in runs scored (30). He ranks fourth on the team in hits (41). Holden has recorded 14 multi-hit games, including a trio of three-hit contests. He has reached base in 18 straight games.
 
Junior outfielder Ryan Koski is the squad's leader in on-base percentage (.442) and is tied for the team lead in runs scored (30). Koski has tallied an MIAA-best 35 walks. Koski has registered 36 hits and is batting .267 this season. Koski is batting .304 in MIAA play with 28 hits in 92 at-bats, including four home runs. His OPS in MIAA games is .963. In MIAA games only, Koski ranks tied for No. 6 in the league in on-base percentage (.463). Koski has reached base 23 times to lead off an inning in 43 chances (.535 average).
 
Northwest Single-Season Walks
1. 45, Brandon Huske, 2013
    45, Nick Gotta, 2016
3. 35, Scott Spurgeon, 1988
    35, Ryan Koski, 2022
5. 33, Nick Gotta, 2015
6. 32, Jerry Mikusa, 1985
    32, Ben Malick, 2008
    32, Austin Wulff, 2015
9. 31, Cameron Bedard, 2012
    31, Jay Hrdlicka, 2017
 
Freshman second baseman Jake Emhardt is in the midst of a six-game hitting streak. Emhardt has seen action in 22 games with 13 starts. He is batting .293 with four doubles and two home runs.
 
Sophomore catcher Caden Diel is riding a six-game hitting streak. Diel is batting .287 in 34 games this season. He has made 30 starts in 2022. Diel has tallied 31 hits, including five doubles. He has stolen five bases in seven attempts. Diel has eight multi-hit games and two multi-RBI contests. Diel has thrown out six would-be base stealers.
 
The Bearcat pitching staff has produced a 5.42 team ERA through 43 games. Northwest pitchers have recorded 342 strikeouts in 370 innings pitched. Opposing teams are batting .266 against the Bearcat pitching staff.
 
Junior right-hander Max Spitzmiller is tied for No. 3 in the nation in complete games (6). On the season, Spitzmiller is 6-6 with a 3.29 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP.
 
Northwest Season Complete Games
1. 9, Dale Kisker, 1982
    9, Tom Franke, 1980
    9, Mark Miller, 1976
4. 8, Tom Funk, 1981
    8, Tom Franke, 1979
6. 7, Steve Nelson, 1989
    7, Pete Stanksbury, 1986
    7, Tom Funk, 1982
    7, Tom Franke, 1978
10. 6, Joe Russel, 2001
      6, Colby Cartney, 1996
      6, Bob Hoeg, 1982
      6, Dale Kisker, 1981
      6, Max Spitzmiller, 2022
 
 
Spitzmiller leads the MIAA in innings pitched (93.0) and WHIP (0.98). He ranks second in the MIAA in ERA (3.29), strikeouts (91) and batting average against (.215). He has walked 16 batters, which ranks as the seventh-fewest among MIAA starting pitchers. Spitzmiller has surrendered 75 hits, of which only 28 are for extra base hits.
 
Spitzmiller has been selected as the MIAA's Pitcher of the Week two times this season. Spitzmiller tied a career-high with 11 strikeouts in Northwest's 11-1 win over Truman State on Feb. 19. . Spitzmiller pitched his first career shutout with a two-hit, 11-strikeout, no-walk gem in a 2-0 win over Newman.
 
Spitzmiller ranks No. 6 all-time in pitching strikeouts for the Bearcats with 222. Spitzmiller had six strikeouts in 2018, 52 in 2019, 27 in 2020, 46 in 2021 and 91 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. 222, Max Spitzmiller, 2018-pres.
6. 187, Tom Franke, 1977-80
7. 163, Bret Harvel, 2007-09
8. 153, Tom Franke, 1978-80
9. 152, Nikko Pablo, 2014-17
10. 148, Tom Funk, 1981-83
 
Northwest Single-Season Pitching Strikeouts
1. 114, Anthony Caenepeel, 2017
2. 110, Joseph Hietpas, 2018
3. 106, Brad Roberts, 2018
4. 97, Scott Kurtz, 1969
5. 91, Anthony Canepeel, 2016
    91, Max Spitzmiller, 2022
7. 88, Steve Nelson, 1989
8. 81, Joseph Hietpas, 2017
9. 77, Joseph Hietpas, 2016
10. 74, Gary Hall, 2000
       74, Jayson Huett, 2011
 
Spitzmiller also ranks No. 5 on Northwest's career innings pitched chart. Spitzmiller has logged 245.1 innings pitched in his Bearcat career. Spitzmiller has pitched 5.0 innings in 2018, 73.1 innings in 2019, 34.0 innings in 2020, 40.0 innings in 2021 and 93.0 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. 245.1, Max Spitzmiller, 2018-pres.
6. 225.2, Chase Anderson, 2010-13
7. 215.0, Bret Harvel, 2007-09
8. 201.0, Dale Kisker, 1979-81
9. 193.0, Nikko Pablo, 2014-17
10. 190.1, Tom Funk, 1981-83
 
Northwest Single-Season Innings Pitched
1. 106.2, Anthony Caenepeel, 2017
2. 104.2, Anthony Caenepeel, 2016
3. 102.0, Brad Roberts, 2018
4. 93.0, Max Spitzmiller, 2022
5. 90.2, Brian Lamers, 2007
6. 86.0, Joseph Hietpas, 2016
7. 84.2, Joseph Hietpas, 2018
8. 84.0, Kyle Janssen, 2000
9. 83.1, Brett Jones, 2002
10. 82.2, Jayson Huett, 2010

Sophomore right-handed starter Zach Wiese (4-4) has a 5.90 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in his 12 starts this season. Wiese has allowed 61 hits in 58.0 innings of work. He has struck out 52 and walked 23 batters. Opposing batters are hitting .263 against Wiese this season. Wiese has worked at least five innings in nine of his 12 starts.
 
Sophomore reliever Jacob Gajic has made 22 appearances and owns a team-best 2.40 ERA. Gajic is 0-1 in 41.1 innings pitched while allowing 11 earned runs. Gajic has recorded a team-best five saves, which ranks him tied for No. 4 in the MIAA in total saves.
 
Junior Alex Slocum (3-6) has made eight starts and possesses a 5.50 ERA with a 1.43 WHIP. Slocum earned his third win of the season and his first complete game in a 14-0, seven-inning victory over Fort Hays State. Slocum tied a season-high with eight strikeouts against the Tigers. 
 
Bearcat skipper Darin Loe has accumulated 713 career wins in 28 seasons as a collegiate head coach. Loe has posted 557 victories for the Bearcats. Loe has an MIAA coaching mark of 385-378 for the Bearcats.
 
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
557-584 – Northwest (2000-pres.)
82-67 – Baker (1997-1999)
74-67 – Missouri Valley (1994-1996)
 
Head coach Darin Loe captured his 700th career coaching victory in Northwest's March 5 win over the Missouri Southern Lions in Joplin. Loe is one of 24 active NCAA Division II coaches to have reached the 700-win mark. Loe has accumulated 557 wins at Northwest to go along with 82 at Baker and 74 at Missouri Valley.