ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team split a doubleheader Friday against the Henderson State University Reddies at Clyde Berry Field.
 
Northwest won the opening game, 12-6, only to have Henderson State take the nightcap, 6-4.
 
Northwest is 3-3 on the season. Henderson State is 2-3 on the year.
 
GAME ONE
The Bearcats put up an eight-spot in the top of the first en route to a 12-6 victory.
 
Northwest tallied eight runs on six hits and took advantage of four walks and a hit batter in the top of the first. Trey Morris hit a sac fly to score Cole Slibowski for the first run. Kaehukai Young singled through the left side to plate Noah Bodenhausen for a 2-0 lead. Brady Miles drew a bases loaded walk to plate Ryan Williams. Trent Kozeal came through with a two-run single up the middle to up the margin to 5-0. Slibowski reached for the second time in the inning as he singled to right center as Miles crossed the plate. Williams worked a bases-loaded walk to score Kozeal. Morris finished off the first-inning scoring with an infield single to shortstop. Morris knocked in Jake Emhardt from third, but Slibowski inched too far off third and was tagged out for the final out of the inning.
 
The Bearcats used a two-out rally in the second to increase the lead to 11-0. Young singled to lead off the inning but was still at first base with two outs. Young tallied his third stolen base of the year as he moved up to second base. Kozeal followed with a single up the middle to move Young to third. Emhardt delivered an RBI single through the left side to score Young. Slibowski ripped a double down the left field line with Emhardt running on the play. Slibowski's double plated both Kozeal and Emhardt to stake the Bearcats to an 11-0 advantage.
 
Bearcat starter Zach Wiese ran into control issues in the bottom of the second as he walked five batters, including three straight with the bases loaded. Henderson State cut the lead to 11-3 without the benefit of a hit. Wiese was relieved by Brock Steggall with one out in the second. Steggall worked out of the jam
 
Miles hammered the second pitch he saw of the fourth inning for a solo homer down the left field line. It was his first home run of the season and sixth of his Bearcat career. Miles' dinger gave Northwest a 12-4 lead.
 
The Reddies hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth off Bearcat reliever Ben Haug to finish off the scoring at 12-6.
 
Steggall earned his first win by working 5 2/3 of relief. He allowed four hits, no runs and struck out four.
 
Slibowski and Williams each recorded three-hit games. Slibowski drove in a team-high three runs. Slibowski was a homer shy of the cycle. Slibowski reached base five times courtesy of three hits, a walk and being hit by a pitch. Williams reached four times with two doubles, a single and a walk.
 
Young went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two stolen bases. Kozeal went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and drove in a pair. Emhardt tallied a 2-for-4 game with two runs scored and a sac bunt.
 
GAME TWO
Northwest spotted Henderson State a three-run lead, battled back to tie the game before dropping the back end of the doubleheader, 6-4.
 
The Reddies got an RBI double in the first, an RBI single in the third and added its third run on a strikeout wild pitch in the third to gain the 3-0 lead.
 
Jacob Selock got the Bearcats on the board in the fourth with a one-out, two-run homer to left that plated Trey Morris. It was Selock's first home run of the season and sixth of his collegiate career.
 
The Reddies answered with a solo homer of their own in the bottom of the fourth to up the advantage to 4-2.
 
Northwest evened the contest in the fifth with a pair of runs. Noah Bodenhausen rifled a single to left to score Cole Slibowski. Ryan Williams delivered a one-out RBI double to center to bring home Bodenhausen to knot the contest at 4-4.
 
Northwest was mounting a rally in the top of the sixth before the game was halted for a rain delay. Selock walked to start the inning and Brady Miles singled through the left side before the game was stopped by the umpires with rain in the area. After the delay, the Bearcats went down with a strikeout and to pop outs to center field to end the potential scoring threat.
 
Bearcat starter Mason Quinn departed after five innings of work. He allowed six hits, four runs (all earned) and struck out seven.
 
Bearcat skipper Darin Loe turned to junior reliever Jake Ciafullo in the bottom of the sixth. Ciafullo gave up a leadoff single. HSU's Nick Tremblay then raced around the bases for an inside-the-park home run to give the Reddies a 6-4 lead through six.
 
The Bearcats loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh after a trio of walks drawn by Bodenhausen, Morris and Selock. However, Layne Shiers flied out to left to end the game as the Reddies scored a 6-4 triumph.
 
Ciafullo was dealt the loss and he falls to 0-1 on the year.
 
Sliblowski tallied a two-hit performance in four at bats. He had a triple and scored a run.

The Bearcats and Reddies will play single games on Saturday and Sunday at noon to wrap up the four-game series.