Friday, March 1
Northwest Missouri State at Pittsburg State, 3 p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS

Saturday, March 2
Northwest Missouri State at Pittsburg State, 1 p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
Sunday, March 3
Northwest Missouri State at Pittsburg State, Noon | WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
Fresh off a 10-2 non-conference road victory over Benedictine College, the Northwest Missouri State University baseball team will travel to Pittsburg, Kan., to take on the Pittsburg State University Gorillas in a three-game weekend set beginning Friday.
 
The Bearcats (8-7 overall, 1-2 MIAA) will square off against the Gorillas (10-5 overall, 1-2 MIAA). The Bearcats lost a three-game series with Emporia State, while the Gorillas dropped two of three to in-state rival Washburn as both teams began MIAA action last weekend.
 
Northwest has produced seven double-figure scoring games this season. Northwest is averaging 9.0 runs per game, which ranks fourth-best in the MIAA. Northwest ranks No. 12 in the nation and No. 2 in the MIAA in walks drawn (94).

Northwest is 7-0 when leading after six innings. The Bearcats are 7-1 when scoring first. Northwest has tallied 27 first-inning runs – the most of any inning. Northwest has out-scored the opposition, 44-30, in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.
 
Ryan Williams is tied for second in the nation and leads the MIAA in doubles (10). Williams is batting .397 with a team-best 23 hits. He also leads the team in total bases (36), slugging percentage (.621) and walks (15). Williams has posted eight multi-hit games, including a trio of three-hit contests. Williams has reached base in 14 of 15 games this season. Williams is tied for seventh in the MIAA with 23 hits.
 
Caden Diel ranks No. 3 in the MIAA with a .486 batting average. Diel has tallied 18 hits in 37 at-bats. He leads the Bearcats with a .608 on-base percentage, which ranks No. 2 in the league. Diel is also tops on the team with eight stolen bases in eight attempts. He is tied for second in the MIAA in stolen bases. Diel's OPS of 1.257 ranks No. 9 in the MIAA. Diel posted his first career four-hit game in a 10-2 win at Benedictine. Diel has recorded seven multi-hit games this season. Diel will take a five-game hitting streak into the Pittsburg State series. Diel has also reached base in 10 consecutive games.
 
Noah Bodenhausen ranks No. 5 in the MIAA in runs scored (21). Bodenhausen is batting .375 with 21 hits and five stolen bases. He is 9-of-12 when leading off an inning. Bodenhausen has reached base in 14 consecutive games entering this weekend's series at Pittsburg State.
 
Trey Morris leads the Bearcats and ranks No. 6 in the MIAA in RBI (23). Morris has a team-best six multiple-RBI contests this season. Morris is hitting .297 with 19 hits. Morris leads the squad with nine two-out hits and six hits with the bases loaded. Morris is 10-of-12 with a runner on third and less than two outs.
 
Jacob Selock is batting .324 and is tied for the team lead with three home runs. Selock also tops the team with four sacrifice bunts.
 
Kaehukai Young is tied for the team lead in homers (3). Young is second on the squad with 20 runs scored. He is batting .250 with 13 this season. He is 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts.
 
Cole Slibowski is second on the team with 17 RBI, with 10 of those coming with two outs. He ranks fourth on the team in batting average (.308) with 20 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. Slibowski has a team-best 13 hits when leading off an inning.
 
The Bearcat pitching staff has put up a 5.68 team earned run average. Northwest pitchers have struck out 131 batters in 126 1/3 innings.
 
George Fisher made his Bearcat debut in a 10-2 win over Benedictine. He pitched two perfect innings and was rewarded with his first career win.
 
Brock Steggall possesses a 3.29 earned run average in 13.2 innings pitched. Steggall is 2-0 with a save with 10 strikeouts. He has allowed 11 hits and eight runs (five earned). Steggall has allowed two hits (18 at bats) with two outs in an inning.
 
Casey Stalzer has made four starts and sits at 2-1 with a 4.87 ERA. Stalzer has struck out a team-best 33 batters in 20 1/3 innings pitched. Stalzer has struck out at least eight batters in all four of his starts this season.
 
Quinn Mason captured MIAA Pitcher of the Week honors as he mowed down Emporia State for 6 2/3 scoreless innings. Mason struck out 11 Hornets in picking up his first win of the year. Mason has a 3.06 ERA in 17 2/3 innings pitched. Mason has struck out 26 batters.
 
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 a 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 735 triumphs in 30 seasons as a head coach. Loe is one of four active MIAA coaches with 700 or more wins with Bob Fornelli (1,054 – Fort Hays State, Emporia State, Pittsburg State) and Brad Hill (895 – Central Missouri, Kansas State, Emporia State), Sunny Golloway (763 – Oral Roberts, Oklahoma, Auburn, East Central, Northeastern State). Loe is Northwest's all-time coaching wins leader with 579 victories. Loe has a record of 397-405 in MIAA games only. Loe took over as the Bearcat skipper in 2000 and ranks No. 4 in all-time MIAA baseball coaching victories (579).
 
MIAA Coaching Wins (through Feb. 28, 2024)
1. Bob Fornelli (ESU/PSU – 2004-pres.)         738
2. Buzz Verduzco (MWSU – 2000-2023)         629
3. Steve Anson (Washburn – 1989-2014)       622
4. Darin Loe (Northwest – 2000-pres.)           579
5. Steve Bever (PSU – 1991-2012)                  558