Friday, Feb. 16
Northwest Missouri State vs. Lewis, 10 a.m. | LIVE STATS | WATCH
 
Saturday, Feb. 17
Northwest Missouri State vs. Univ. of Mary, 4:30 p.m. | LIVE STATS | WATCH
 
Sunday, Feb. 18
Northwest Missouri State vs. Minnesota State, 4 p.m. | LIVE STATS | WATCH
 
The Northwest Missouri State University baseball squad will compete in the Missouri Southern Lion Classic in Joplin, Mo., this Friday-Sunday.
 
Northwest will take on Lewis (Friday, 10 a.m.), Univ. of Mary (Saturday, 4 p.m.) and Minnesota State (Sunday, 1 p.m.) in this MIAA/NSIC crossover event.
 
The Bearcats have bounced out to a 5-3 mark through the first two weekends of play in the 2024 season. Northwest is averaging an MIAA-best 10.1 runs scored per game. The Bearcats have scored 12 or more runs four times this season, including a season-high 17-run performance against Henderson State in the series finale on Sunday.
 
Northwest ranks No. 2 in the nation in walks drawn (62) through eight games. Northwest also ranks No. 2 in batters hit by pitches (21).
 
The Bearcats rank No. 3 in NCAA Div. II baseball in runs scored (81). The Bearcats rank No. 6 in the country in total hits (85).
 
Bearcat hitters rank No. 8 in the nation in on-base percentage (.475).
 
Northwest batters lead the MIAA in walks, hit-by-pitches, hits, on-base percentage, total runs, runs per game, sacrifice flies.
 
The Bearcats have stolen 19 bases and have been caught stealing only once this season. Northwest ranks No. 14 in the nation in stolen bases (14). Northwest is one of five programs in the country to have at least 19 stolen bases and have been caught stealing one time or less. Wayne State has 28 stolen bases and one caught stealing. Lander has stolen 25 bases without getting caught once. Catawba has 23 stolen bases and one caught stealing. Lincoln Memorial has 21 stolen bases and has been caught once.
 
Northwest is 4-0 when leading after six innings. The Bearcats are also 4-0 when scoring first. Northwest has scored 28 of its 81 runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.

Noah Bodenhausen and Ryan Williams are leading the Bearcats in hitting. Bodenhausen has started seven games and is batting .414 with 12 hits in 29 at bats. Williams has started all eight games and his hitting .407 with 11 hits in 27 at bats Williams has drawn a team-best 11 walks. Bodenhausen is tied for the team lead with 13 runs scored and four stolen bases. Bodenhausen has a team-best nine hits with runners in scoring position.
 
Trey Morris tops the squad in RBI with 14 through eight games. Morris is batting .364 with 12 hits. Morris is 5-for-8 with the bases loaded and 7-for-14 with two outs in an inning. Morris has also delivered six hits in seven at-bats with a runner on third and less than two outs.
 
Kaehukai Young is tied for the squad lead in runs scored (13) and stolen bases (4). Young has belted a team-best three home runs and has a .700 slugging percentage in 30 at bats. Young is 7-for-11 when leading off an inning.
 
Cole Slibowski is second on the team with 11 RBI. He leads the squad with seven two-out RBI.
 
Brady Miles is 7-for-9 this season when leading off an inning.
 
The Bearcat pitching staff has put up a 6.44 team earned run average. Northwest pitchers have struck out 61 batters in 64 1/3 innings.
 
Brock Steggall possesses a 0.00 earned run average in eight innings pitched. Steggall is 2-0 with five strikeouts. He has allowed six hits. Steggall has allowed one hit (10 at bats) with two outs in an inning.
 
Casey Stalzer has made two starts and sits at 1-0 with a 6.52 ERA. Stalzer has struck out a team-best 16 batters in 9 2/3 innings pitched.
 
Jacob Gajic tallied a win and a save in the final two games of the series win at Henderson State. Gajic worked 2 1/3 innings in at 15-6 win where he struck out four batters and allowed only two hits. Gajic worked a six-out save in a 17-15 win over the Reddies. He struck out two batters and allowed three hits in earning his 10th career save.
 
Northwest Career Saves
1. Trevor Dudar, 2018-19 - 23
2. Carson Smith, 2011-16 - 17
3. Matt Goodman, 2000-01 - 15
4. Brett Whittle, 2006-07 - 13
5. Jayson Huett, 2010-11 - 12
6. Nikko Pablo, 2014-17 - 11
7. Jacob Gajic, 2022-pr. - 10
8. Evan Nickell, 2007-08 - 9
9. Matt Coons, 2003-06 - 8
10. Brett Rust, 2002 - 7
     Troy Newman, 1984-85 - 7

Bearcat head coach Darin Loe one of 23 active NCAA Div. II head coaches with at least 700 career wins. Loe has tallied 732 triumphs in 30 seasons as a head coach. Loe is one of four active MIAA coaches with 700 or more wins with Bob Fornelli (1,050 – Fort Hays State, Emporia State, Pittsburg State) and Brad Hill (891 – Central Missouri, Kansas State, Emporia State), Sunny Golloway (758 – Oral Roberts, Oklahoma, Auburn, East Central, Northeastern State). Loe is Northwest's all-time coaching wins leader with 576 victories. Loe took over as the Bearcat skipper in 2000 and ranks No. 4 in all-time MIAA baseball coaching victories.
 
MIAA Coaching Wins (through Feb. 14, 2024)
1. Bob Fornelli (ESU/PSU – 2004-pres.)         734
2. Buzz Verduzco (MWSU – 2000-2023)         629
3. Steve Anson (Washburn – 1989-2014)       622
4. Darin Loe (Northwest – 2000-pres.)           576
5. Steve Bever (PSU – 1991-2012)                   558