WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team dropped the opening game of conference play 4-1 vs. the Central Missouri Mules.
 
Northwest falls to 2-10, 0-1 in MIAA play and Central Missouri moves to 7-5, 1-0 in the MIAA.
 
Northwest reached base twice in the first three innings both on walks by Cole Slibowski but couldn't get anything across.
 
UCM tallied three base runners in the first three innings, but two runners were caught stealing by catcher Ryan Williams and the Mules couldn't muster any across.
 
In a scoreless game in the top of the fifth inning, Brady Miles led the inning off with a single to center for the Bearcats first hit of the day but after a three straight infield pop ups, Miles was stranded.
 
The Mules got on the board in the bottom half of the fifth on a two-out RBI single to right field off Bearcat Starter Max Spitzmiller from Carter Young.
 
Central Missouri added another in the sixth on a solo homerun to right field, but they stranded a runner at third with one out after Spitzmiller got a pop up and a ground out to third to escape the jam.
 
Spitzmiller was credited with the loss going 7.0 innings giving up three earned runs throwing 102 pitches.
 
Northwest chased the Mules starter in the top of the seventh after loading the bases with no one out. The Bearcats got there only run across on a catcher's interference that scored Brady Miles, Northwest couldn't get any more across stranding three on base.
 
The Mules added two more in the bottom of the seventh on a two RBI single extending their lead to 4-1.
 
The Bearcats had two on with two out in the ninth inning but couldn't get anything going ultimately falling 4-1.

Game two and three will be played tomorrow as a double header as rain is in the forecast for Sunday. Game one of the double header will begin at 12 p.m.