Friday, March 8
Northwest Missouri State at No. 3 Central Missouri, 3 p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS

Saturday, March 9
Northwest Missouri State at No. 3 Central Missouri, 2 p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS

Sunday, March 10
Northwest Missouri State at No. 3 Central Missouri, 1 p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS

The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team will look to return to its winning ways this weekend when the Bearcats travel to Warrensburg, Mo., to take on the No. 3-ranked Central Missouri Mules.
 
The Bearcats (8-10 overall, 1-5 MIAA) dropped a three-game series at Pittsburg State last weekend in Pittsburg, Kan. The Mules (16-3, 5-1 MIAA) will bring a five-winning streak into the series.
 
Northwest has produced eight double-figure scoring games this season. Northwest is averaging 8.2 runs per game, which ranks sixth-best in the MIAA. Northwest ranks No. 10 in the nation and second in the MIAA in sacrifice hits.

Northwest is 7-0 when leading after six innings. The Bearcats are 7-2 when scoring first. Northwest has tallied 30 first-inning runs – the most of any inning. Northwest has out-scored the opposition, 45-39, in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. Northwest is 6-2 when holding its opponent to no home runs.
 
Caden Diel is the MIAA's top hitter at .479 with 23 hits in 48 at-bats. Diel has 16 singles, six doubles and a homer. Diel is also a perfect 10-of-10 in stolen base attempts and is second in the league in stolen bases. He leads the Bearcats with a .587 on-base percentage, which ranks No. 5 in the league. Diel's OPS of 1.254 ranks No. 8 in the MIAA. Diel posted his first career four-hit game in a 10-2 win at Benedictine. Diel has recorded nine multi-hit games this season. Diel will take an eight-game hitting streak into the Central Missouri series. Diel has reached base in 13 consecutive games.
 
Noah Bodenhausen ranks tied-No. 5 in the MIAA in runs scored (23). Bodenhausen is batting .354 with 23 hits and six stolen bases. He is 11-of-15 (.733) when leading off an inning. Bodenhausen has reached base in 17 consecutive games entering this weekend's series at Central Missouri.

Ryan Williams is tied for fifth in the nation and leads the MIAA in doubles (10). Williams is batting .391 with a team-best 27 hits. He also leads the team in total bases (43) and walks (16). Williams has posted a team-high tying nine multi-hit games, including a trio of three-hit contests. Williams has reached base in 17 of 18 games this season. Williams is tied for ninth in the MIAA with 23 hits.
 
Trey Morris leads the Bearcats and ranks tied for No. 6 in the MIAA in RBI (26). Morris has a team-best seven multiple-RBI contests this season. Morris is hitting .329 with 25 hits. Morris leads the squad with 10 two-out hits and six hits with the bases loaded. Morris is 10-of-15 with a runner on third and less than two outs. Morris has recorded seven RBI with two outs this season.
 
Jacob Selock is batting .289 and is tied for the team lead with three home runs. Selock also tops the team with five sacrifice bunts.
 
Kaehukai Young is tied for the team lead in homers (3). Young is second on the squad with 22 runs scored. He is batting .254 with 16 hits 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 is batting .278 with 22 hits. He leads the squad with 10 two-out RBI and has seven two-out hits. He is fourth on the team with seven multi-hit contests. He has posted four multi-RBI games. Slibowski has a team-best 14 hits when leading off an inning.
 
The Bearcat pitching staff has put up a 6.69 team earned run average. Northwest pitchers have struck out 152 batters in 149 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 4.91 earned run average in 14.1 innings pitched. Steggall is 2-0 with a save with 10 strikeouts. Steggall has allowed two hits (18 at bats) with two outs in an inning.
 
Casey Stalzer has made five starts and sits at 2-2 with a 5.81 ERA. Stalzer has struck out a team-best 41 batters in 26 1/3 innings pitched. Stalzer has struck out at least eight batters in all five 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 4.76 ERA in 22 2/3 innings pitched. Mason has struck out 31 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 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 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 (1,057 – Fort Hays State, Emporia State, Pittsburg State) and Brad Hill (898 – Central Missouri, Kansas State, Emporia State), Sunny Golloway (764 – 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 397-408 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 March 6, 2024)
1. Bob Fornelli (ESU/PSU – 2004-pres.)         741
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