Friday, April 8
Northwest Missouri State at Missouri Western, 4 p.m. | MIAA NETWORK | LIVE STATS
 
Saturday, April 9
Northwest Missouri State at Missouri Western, 1 p.m. | MIAA NETWORK | LIVE STATS
 
Sunday, April 10
Northwest Missouri State at Missouri Western, Noon | MIAA NETWORK | LIVE STATS
 
Tuesday, April 12
Northwest Missouri State at Washburn, 5 p.m. | MIAA NETWORK | LIVE STATS
 
The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team will make the short journey down Highway 71 south to St. Joseph, Mo., for a three-game weekend set against the Missouri Western Griffons.
 
The Bearcats (13-20 overall, 7-13 MIAA) are winners of seven of their last nine games, including five of their last six, heading into this weekend's schedule.
 
The Bearcats and Griffons will meet Friday at 4 p.m., followed by Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at Noon.
 
Northwest will also travel to Topeka, Kan., on Tuesday to duel the Washburn Ichabods in the third game of this year's series. Each home squad has won the two previous meetings this season.
 
The Bearcat offense has produced 10 or more runs in three of their last four games. On the season, Northwest has tallied six double-figure run-scoring contests. Northwest swept a non-conference doubleheader with Rockhurst on Tuesday by the count of 13-7 and 10-8.

Northwest is 12-2 when it is tied in hits or out-hits the opposition. Northwest is 9-0 when leading after eight innings. The Bearcats are 10-2 when leading after seven innings.
 
Senior outfielder Donovan Warren leads the team in batting average (.325) OPS (.924), hits (39), two-out RBI (16) and multi-hit games (11). He is tied for the team lead in home runs (4). Of his 11 multi-hit games he has seven two-hit games, three three-hit games and a four-hit contest. Warren has five multi-RBI games – including a 7-RBI performance last weekend 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 is batting a team-best .362 with runners on base (25-for-69). Warren is 3-for-7 with the bases loaded. Warren is batting .408 with runners in scoring position (20-for-49). With a runner on third and less than two outs, Warren is nearly automatic at the plate going 12-for-14 (.857).
 
Junior outfielder Drew Mackie is Northwest's top slugger with a .529 slugging percentage. He has recorded 16 extra-base hits (10 doubles, two triples and four home runs). Mackie is batting .314 overall (.349 MIAA games). Mackie is tied for the team lead in stolen bases (6). Mackie has posted five multi-RBI games. He ranks second on the team in multi-hit games (10). Mackie hit for the cycle at Pittsburg State on March 13. Mackie is 3-for-4 this season with the bases loaded. Mackie leads the squad with 19 two-out hits (19-of-49 - .388).
 
Senior shortstop Jacob Pinkerton is hitting .270 with 31 hits in 115 at bats. Pinkerton ranks fourth on the team in runs scored (21). He is tied for the team lead in triples (2). He has seven multi-hit games. Pinkerton five multi-RBI contests.
 
Senior infielder Brett Holden holds the team lead in hit-by-pitches (10) and sacrifice bunts (8). Holden leads the MIAA in sacrifice bunts. He is tied for the team lead in runs scored (23). He ranks third on the team in hits (29). Holden has recorded nine multi-hit games. He has reached base in eight straight games. Holden has reached base a team-best eight times via an error.
 
Sophomore infielder Cole Slibowski is tied for the team lead in stolen bases (6). He ranks second on the squad in sacrifice bunts (6). Slibowski has tallied four multi-hit games.
 
Junior outfielder Ryan Koski is the squad's leader in on-base percentage (.453) and is tied for the team lead in runs scored (23). Koski has tallied a team-best 23 walks. Koski has registered 26 hits and is batting .260 this season. Koski is batting .316 in MIAA play with 18 hits in 57 at-bats, including four home runs. His OPS in MIAA games is 1.073. In MIAA games only, Koski ranks No. 6 in the league in on-base percentage (.494). When Koski leads off an inning, he is batting .606 (20-for-33).

DeAunte Parker is the top pinch hitter for the 'Cats as he leads the team with two pinch-hits. Parker is 2-for-7 as a pinch hitter this season. 
 
The Bearcat pitching staff has produced a 5.54 team ERA through 33 games. Northwest pitchers have recorded 274 strikeouts in 286 innings pitched. Opposing teams are batting .266 against the Bearcat pitching staff.
 
Junior right-hander Max Spitzmiller is tied for the nation's lead in complete games (5). On the season, Spitzmiller is 4-5 with a 2.67 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP. Spitzmiller pitched his first career shutout with a two-hit, 11-strikeout, no-walk gem in a 2-0 win over Newman last Friday.
 
Spitzmiller leads the MIAA in innings pitched (70.2) and ranks second in batters struck out (73). Spitzmiller ranks No. 3 in the MIAA in ERA (2.67). Opposing batters are hitting .192 against Spitzmiller, which ranks No. 2 in the MIAA. He has walked 10 batters, which ranks as the fifth-fewest among MIAA starting pitchers. Spitzmiller has surrendered 49 hits, of which only 18 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 ranks No. 6 all-time in pitching strikeouts for the Bearcats with 204. Spitzmiller had six strikeouts in 2018, 52 in 2019, 27 in 2020, 46 in 2021 and 73 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. 204, 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
 
Spitzmiller also ranks No. 8 on Northwest's career innings pitched chart. Spitzmiller has logged 214.0 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 70.2 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. 223.0, Max Spitzmiller, 2018-pres.
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

Sophomore right-handed starter Zach Wiese (2-3) has a 5.49 ERA and 1.39 WHIP in his nine starts this season. Wiese has allowed 41 hits in 41.0 innings of work. He has struck out 38 and walked 16 batters. Opposing batters are hitting .247 against Wiese this season.
 
Sophomore middle reliever Jacob Gajic has made 16 appearances and owns a team-best 2.53 ERA. Gajic is 0-1 in 32.0 innings pitched while allowing nine earned runs. Gajic has recorded a team-best four saves, which ranks him tied for No. 3 in the MIAA in total saves.

Senior reliever Jonny McIntyre has allowed only one hit with two outs this season - the fewest hits allowed by any Bearcat pitcher. Batters are hitting 1-for-12 with two outs vs. McIntyre.
 
Junior Alex Slocum (2-3) has made five starts and possesses a 5.73 ERA with a 1.35 WHIP. Slocum leads all MIAA starting pitchers with the fewest walks allowed (7). 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 (Feb. 5). 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 accumulated 708 career wins in 28 seasons as a collegiate head coach. Loe has posted 552 victories for the Bearcats. Loe has an MIAA coaching mark of 380-373 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
552-579 – 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 544 wins at Northwest to go along with 82 at Baker and 74 at Missouri Valley.