Friday, Feb. 23
Emporia State at Northwest Missouri State, 2 p.m. | LIVE STATS | WATCH
 
Saturday, Feb. 24
Emporia State at Northwest Missouri State, 2 p.m. | LIVE STATS | WATCH
 
Sunday, Feb. 25
Emporia State at Northwest Missouri State, 1 p.m. | LIVE STATS | WATCH
 
The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team will open up MIAA play at home Friday-Sunday with a three-game set against the Emporia State University Hornets.
 
Friday and Saturday's action will get underway at 2 p.m. Sunday's finale will start at 1 p.m.
 
The Bearcats (6-5 overall) will be playing their first home games of the season after playing their first 11 games on road/neutral fields. Emporia State (7-4 overall) is coming off a four-game home series split against non-conference foe CSU-Pueblo.
 
 Northwest had produced five games of double-figure run scoring. Northwest ranks No. 2 in the MIAA in runs scored per game (9.3). Northwest ranks No. 3 in the MIAA in runs scored (103). Northwest ranks No. 8 in the nation in walks drawn (73), which also ranks No. 2 in the MIAA. The Bearcats have been hit by 23 pitches to rank No. 2 in the league and No. 18 in the nation.
 
Northwest ranks No. 17 in the nation and No. 2 in the MIAA in on-base percentage (.443).
 
The Bearcats have ripped 24 doubles, which ranks No. 2 in the league. Northwest has been credited with four triples to rank No. 12 in the nation and No. 4 in the MIAA.
 
Northwest is 5-0 when leading after six innings. The Bearcats are also 5-0 when scoring first. Northwest has tallied 18 first-inning runs – the most of any inning. Northwest has out-scored the opposition, 32-16, in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.
 
Ryan Williams is tied for second in the nation in doubles (9). Williams is batting a team-best .463 with 19 hits. He also leads the squad in OPS (1.338), total bases (31), slugging percentage (.756), on-base percentage (.582) and walks (11). Williams has struck out only three times in 41 at-bats. Williams has a team-best six multi-hit games. He has recorded five consecutive multi-hit games entering the series with Emporia State. Williams has a seven-game hitting streak. He has reached base in all 11 games this season.
 
Noah Bodenhausen is hitting .350 with 14 hits and 15 runs scored. Bodenhausen has stolen four bases in five attempts. Bodenhausen has reached base in 10 consecutive contests. Bodenhausen is 6-of-7 when leading off an inning.
 
Trey Morris tops the squad with 18 RBI. Morris is batting .298 with 14 hits. Morris is 6-for-9 with the bases loaded. He is tied for the team lead with seven two-out hits, which has resulted in six two-out RBI. Morris has also delivered eight hits in nine at-bats with a runner on third and less than two outs.
 
Kaehukai Young leads the Bearcats in runs scored (14) and home runs (3). Young is 4-of-4 in stolen base attempts. Young has reached base in five straight games.
 
Cole Slibowski is second on the team with 16 RBI. He ranks fourth on the team in batting average (.313) with 15 hits. He leads the squad with 10 two-out RBI and is tied for the team lead with seven two-out hits. He is tied for second on the team with five multi-hit contests. He has posted four multi-RBI games. Slibowski has reached base in 10 straight games.
 
Caden Diel is batting .421 with a team-high six stolen bases. Diel had his first four-RBI game of his career against Minnesota State (Feb. 18). Diel has reached base in six consecutive games.
 
Jacob Selock is hitting .300 and ranks second on the team with two home runs. Selock has reached base in seven straight games.
 
Northwest is looking for its first pinch-hit this season. Northwest is 0-for-6 in pinch-hitting situations through 11 games.
 
The Bearcat pitching staff has put up a 5.96 team earned run average. Northwest pitchers have struck out 91 batters in 90 2/3 innings.
 
Brock Steggall possesses a 1.50 earned run average in 12.0 innings pitched. Steggall is 2-0 with a save with 10 strikeouts. He has allowed nine hits and three runs (two earned). Steggall has allowed two hits (15 at bats) with two outs in an inning. Steggall has allowed two extra base hits against 44 batters.
 
Casey Stalzer has made three starts and sits at 2-0 with a 5.52 ERA. Stalzer has struck out a team-best 24 batters in 14 2/3 innings pitched. Stalzer has struck eight batters in all three of his starts this season.
 
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 733 triumphs in 30 seasons as a head coach. Loe is one of four active MIAA coaches with 700 or more wins with Bob Fornelli (1,053 – Fort Hays State, Emporia State, Pittsburg State) and Brad Hill (893 – Central Missouri, Kansas State, Emporia State), Sunny Golloway (762 – Oral Roberts, Oklahoma, Auburn, East Central, Northeastern State). Loe is Northwest's all-time coaching wins leader with 577 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. 19, 2024)
1. Bob Fornelli (ESU/PSU – 2004-pres.)         737
2. Buzz Verduzco (MWSU – 2000-2023)         629
3. Steve Anson (Washburn – 1989-2014)       622
4. Darin Loe (Northwest – 2000-pres.)           577
5. Steve Bever (PSU – 1991-2012)                   558