Hot Springs, Ark. – The Northwest Missouri State Bearcat baseball team picked up its first win of the season with a 5-2 victory over Southeastern Oklahoma State in game one of two on Sunday.
 
The Bearcats jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the second inning when Ryan Koski hit a solo home run to left field to put the Bearcats up 1-0.
 
Northwest tacked two more on in the bottom half of the third after some shaky defense from the Savage Storm and some timely hitting from the 'Cats. DJ Heck drove in Noah Bodenhausen with an RBI single to right-field, Ryan Williams then drove in Alex Bowers with a ground out to shortstop to give Northwest an early 3-0 lead.
 
In the top half of the fourth inning, starter Jace Davidson was relieved by Andrew Clark after two base runners reached with one out. Clark then got a double play line-out to get out of the jam with no damage.
 
Jace Davidson went 3.1 innings giving up no runs, striking out one.
 
Andrew Clark was huge in his debut as a Bearcat, Clark tossed a scoreless 3.2 innings in relief, surrendering only two hits while striking out three. Clark was credited with the win.
 
Northwest again took advantage of some more bad defense from the Savage Storm in the bottom of the sixth. Ryan Williams led the inning off with a single, followed by a pair of strikeouts, Caden Diel then reached on an error by the shortstop and Williams advanced to third. Trey Morris then came up with a pinch hit two out, one run base knock to give the Bearcats a 4-0 lead.
 
Northwest tacked one more on in the seventh on a Ryan Koski single that scored Heck to give the 'Cats a demanding 5-0 lead.
 
The Savage Storm got two-runs back in the eighth, but it wasn't enough as the Bearcats came away with the 5-2 victory.
 
Jacob Gajic got the save in 1.2 innings of work, striking out three.
 
The Bearcats will take on East Central in game two starting at 1 p.m.