JOPLIN, Mo. – The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team wrapped up play Sunday at the Missouri Southern Lion Classic with a 6-5 loss to the Minnesota State University Mavericks.
 
Minnesota State's Ryan Wickman hit three home runs on the day, including a walk-off, solo shot in the ninth to end it. Northwest falls to 6-5 overall, while Minnesota State moves to 1-2.
 
Northwest senior Caden Diel posted a career-high four RBI. Diel, hitting out of the ninth spot in the order, came up with two hits on the day. It's the 19^th multi-hit game of Diel's collegiate career.
 
The Mavericks took a 2-0 lead only three batters into the bottom of the first. Maverick center fielder Ryan Wickman swatted a one-out, two-run homer to center off Bearcat starter Jaxson Meyer to start the game's scoring.
 
Northwest used a two-out rally in the second to draw even at 2-2. Kaehukai Young walked with one out. Max Pawela reached on catcher's interference with two outs. Caden Diel delivered a two-run double to left to plate both Young and Pawela to level the score.
 
Wickman took Meyer deep to left for the second time in the game to give the Mavericks a 3-2 advantage in the third.
 
Meyer's day was complete after four innings of work. He surrendered three runs on five hits and struck out two.
 
Bearcat skipper Darin Loe turned to Connor Polli in the fifth. The Mavericks' Aidan Byrne greeted Polli with a solo homer to left-center to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Byrne's solo homer gave Minnesota State a 4-2 lead.
 
The Bearcats got their offense going in the top of the sixth with two outs. Young was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a single from Jacob Selock. Young took third on a throwing error by Maverick pitcher Louis Magers. Pawela worked a walk to load the bases. Diel came through with his second two-out RBI hit with a two-run single that scored Young and Selock to tie the game at 4-4. After a Minnesota State pitching change, Cole Slibowski ripped an RBI double to center to score Diel and give the Bearcats their first lead of the game at 5-4.
 
Loe handed the baseball to Jake Ciafullo to begin the sixth. Ciafullo looked to have any easy sixth, but after two quick outs the Mavericks rallied for a run. Two walks and an RBI-single later, the contest was deadlocked again at 5-5.
 
The Bearcats stranded Ryan Williams at third to end a scoring threat in the top of the seventh.
 
Northwest brought in Jacob Gajic to pitch the seventh. Gajic retired the Mavericks in order with a strikeout to keep the score even at 5-5.
 
Northwest was retired in order in the eighth on three strikeouts to send Gajic back out to the hill. Gajic worked around a one-out walk with two more strikeouts to keep the matchup level headed to the ninth.
 
In the ninth, Williams singled to center with two outs, but Trey Morris was retired on a fly ball to center field to end the top half of the frame.
 
Wickman ended the game with a walk-off home run to left field with one out in the bottom of the ninth.
 
Gajic took the loss to move to 1-2 on the season. Gajic went 2 1/3 innings and gave up only one hit. He struck out four Maverick hitters.
 
Northwest will open the home season and MIAA play this Friday, Saturday and Sunday with a three-game set with the Emporia State Hornets at the Bearcat Baseball Field.
 
NOTES: Ryan Williams extended his hitting streak to seven in a row when he doubled in the seventh … Williams has also reached base in all 11 games this season … Cole Slibowski and Noah Bodenhausen extended their streaks of reaching base to 10 against the Mavericks.