Friday, April 19
Northeastern State at Northwest Missouri State, 3 p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS

Saturday, April 20
Northeastern State at Northwest Missouri State, 2 p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS

Sunday, April 21
Northeastern State at Northwest Missouri State, 1 p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS

The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team will take on the Northeastern State University RiverHawks in a three-game MIAA series beginning Friday for its final home contests in 2024.
 
Northwest (17-25 overall, 9-18 MIAA) and Northeastern State (19-24, 10-17 MIAA) will get the three-game set underway Friday at 3 p.m., followed by Saturday's game at 2 p.m. and Sunday's finale at 1 p.m. NSU leads the all-time series against Northwest, 31-20. The series has been back-and-forth over the last six seasons with each squad having earned nine wins in 18 matchups.
 
The Bearcats are in a four-way tie for the eighth and final spot in the MIAA Tournament. Northwest is 9-18 in league play and deadlocked with Fort Hays State, Missouri Western and Newman. The top eight teams will qualify for the 2024 MIAA Tournament. Northwest and FHSU are one game behind Missouri Western and Northeastern State for seventh and eighth place in the league standings.
 
Northwest will recognize 10 Bearcat baseball players taking part in their final home series of their careers before Saturday's contest. The Bearcat baseball team will also have 14 members take part in a graduation ceremony prior to Saturday's matchup with the RiverHawks.
 
Bearcat 2024 Spring Graduates – Returning
Alex Bowers – Business Management
Andrew Clark – Mass Media: Sports Media
Jayce Meyer – General Studies
Jaxon Meyer – Biology/Psychology
Jacob Selock – Animal Science with minor in Agricultural Business
Casey Stalzer – Business Marketing
Garrett Stoll – Business Management
 
Bearcat 2024 Spring Graduates – Not Returning
Kade Barrick – Agricultural Business with minor in Animal Science
Noah Bodenhausen – Public Accounting
Caden Diel – Business Economics / MBA in Business Analytics & Finance
Jake Emhardt – General Studies
Quinn Mason – Mass Media: Sports Media
Trey Morris – Business Management
Zach Wiese – Public Accounting
 
Bearcat 2024 Fall Graduates – Not Returning
Layne Shiers – Exercise Science
Cole Slibowski – Physical Education
 
Bearcat 2023 Spring Graduate – Not Returning
Jacob Gajic – Writing with minor in Sport Psychology
 
The Bearcats have set a program single-season record by having drawn 245 walks. The previous season-high for walks was 231 set in the 2004 season. Northwest ranks No. 9 in the nation this year with the 245 base-on-balls.
 
Walks (Season)
1. 2024 - 245
2. 2004 - 231
3. 2016 - 229
4. 2001 - 226
5. 2019 – 212
 
2024 NCAA Div. II Walk Leaders
1. Tampa                     298
2. Missouri Southern  257
3. Lander                     251
4. Ga. Southwestern   248
    Lee                           248
    North Georgia         248
7. Central Missouri     246
    UNC Pembroke        246
9. Northwest Mo. St.  245
    Okla. Baptist            245
 
Northwest has cranked out 44 home runs this season, which ranks tied for the sixth-most in a single season in school history.
 
Home Runs
1. 1988 - 51
2. 2008 - 50
    2005 - 50
4. 2001 - 49
    2023 - 49
6. 2000 - 44
    2007 - 44
    2024 - 44
9. 2006 - 42
    1987 - 42
 
Junior Ryan Williams has been working counts all season and is two walks away from owning the Bearcat single-season record for walks. Williams has drawn 43 walks, including 13 free passes last week in five games against Washburn, William Jewell and Newman.
 
Walks (Season)
1. Brandon Huske, 2013 - 45
    Nick Gotta, 2016 - 45
3. Ryan Williams, 2024 – 43
4. Ryan Koski, 2022 - 37
5. Scott Spurgeon, 1988 - 35
6. Nick Gotta, 2015 - 33
7. Ben Malick, 2008 - 32
    Jerry Mikusa, 1985 - 32
    Austin Wulff, 2015 - 32
10. Cameron Bedard, 2012 - 31
    Jay Hrdlicka, 2017 – 31
 
Along with all his walks, Williams is also doing damage with his bat by hitting a team-best .407. Williams leads the MIAA in on-base percentage (.545). He ranks No. 11 in the nation in on-base percentage. Williams's .407 batting average ranks third in the MIAA. Williams leads Northwest in batting average (.407), slugging percentage (.713), hits (61), doubles (15), home runs (9), total bases (107) and walks (43). Williams has posted 19 multi-hit games and 11 multi-RBI contests. Williams has tallied seven three-hit games this year. Williams has posted a team-best 16 two-out RBI. Williams will bring a five-game hitting streak into the Northeastern State series.
 
Northwest has had 10 batters hit .400 or better (minimum of 75 at-bats) in a single season. Williams is looking to become the first Bearcat since Matt Coons in 2006 to hit .400 in a season.
 
Batting Average
(Min. 75 at-bats)
1. Dennis Webb, 1977 - .487 (58-119)
2. Scott Spurgeon, 1988 - .466 (68-146)
3. Chuck Lynn, 1983 - .444 (55-137)
4. Delton Kruk, 1999 - .452 (47-104)
5. Matt Fitzmorris, 1996 - .422 (65-154)
6. Adam Bailey, 2000 - .417 (78-187)
7. Ryan Ellis, 2002 - .416 (79-190)
8. Matt Coons, 2006 - .415 (54-130)
9. Adam Bailey, 2001 - .409 (70-190)
10. Robert Robb, 1985 - .401 (55-137)
 
Trey Morris is tied for the MIAA lead in RBI (55) and ranks No. 17 the nation. Morris's 55 RBI ranks tied for the sixth-best single-season total in program history. Morris is hitting .352 and is tied for the team lead with 57 hits, including a team-high seven hits with the bases loaded. Morris also tops the Bearcats in home runs (9). Morris has accumulated 18 multi-hit games, which includes 10 three-hit affairs. Morris is credited with a team-best 21 hits and 15 RBI in two-out scenarios.

Runs Batted In (Season)
1. 66, Rob Czanstkowski, 1989
2. 61, Adam Bailey, 2000
3. 58, Scott Spurgeon, 1988
    58, Ryan Koski, 2023
5. 56, Willie Ciaramitaro, 2002
6. 55, Kyle Gallagher, 2005
    55, Trey Morris, 2024
8. 54, Britt Westman, 2007
    54, John Sipes, 2003
10. 52, Jay Hearn, 1996

Brady Miles cracked six home runs and drove in 10 runs with a 1.286 slugging percentage despite the Bearcats losing all five games this past week. Miles had nine hits in 21 at-bats and he scored seven runs. The sophomore had a two-home run day at Washburn last Tuesday as he went 2-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored against the Ichabods. Miles then went 1-for-3 with a home run in a mid-week non-conference contest with William Jewell. Miles tallied another two-homer day on Saturday against Newman before he notched his first four-hit day of his Bearcat collegiate career in the series finale. Miles went 4-for-5 with a home run and two RBI against the Jets. On the season, Miles is batting .268 with seven home runs, six doubles and 27 RBI. He leads the squad with six sacrifice flies.
 
Noah Bodenhausen leads the squad with 42 runs scored and nine sacrifice bunts. Bodenhausen is batting .296 with 47 hits and 13 stolen bases. He is 18-of-38 (.474) when leading off an inning. Bodenhausen has 11 multi-hit games, including a four-hit game, and four multi-RBI contests.

Kaehukai Young ranks tied for third on the squad with 33 runs scored. He is batting .300 with 39 hits and four home runs. He has drawn 20 walks and has been hit by a pitch on nine occasions. He is 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts.
 
Cole Slibowski is batting .262 with 44 hits. He has 12 two-out RBI and has 11 two-out hits. He is third on the team with 12 multi-hit contests. He has posted five multi-RBI games. Slibowski has a team-best 32 hits when leading off an inning (32-of-66 - .485).

Alex Bowers is hitting .305 with 25 hits and 19 runs scored. Bowers has worked 14 walks.

Jacob Selock is batting .271 with 29 hits, 23 runs scored and 30 RBI. Selock has knocked seven balls out of the park.
 
The Bearcat pitching staff has put up a 7.32 team earned run average. Northwest pitchers have struck out 332 batters in 355 1/3 innings.
 
Casey Stalzer leads the MIAA with 81 strikeouts. Stalzer ranks No. 5 in the nation in batters struck out. Stalzer's 81 strikeouts rank tied for the eighth-best single-season total in program history. Stalzer is 4-3 in 11 starts with a 6.28 earned run average. Stalzer has struck out at least eight batters in eight of his 11 starts. Stalzer also ranks No. 10 in the country in strikeouts-per-nine innings (12.72) in 57 1/3 innings pitched. Stalzer was named the MIAA Pitcher of the Week after he struck out a career-high 13 batters and tossed seven four-hit, scoreless innings against Fort Hays State.

Strikeouts (Season)
1. 114, Anthony Caenepeel, 2017
2. 110, Joseph Hietpas, 2018
3. 106, Brad Roberts, 2018
4. 97, Scott Kurtz, 1969
5. 93, Max Spitzmiller, 2022
6. 91, Anthony Caenepeel, 2016
7. 88, Steve Nelson, 1989
8. 81, Joseph Hietpas, 2017
    81, Casey Stalzer, 2024
10. 77, Joseph Hietpas, 2016
 
Quinn Mason captured MIAA Pitcher of the Week honors (Feb. 26) as he mowed down Emporia State for 6 2/3 scoreless innings. Mason (2-2) struck out 11 Hornets in picking up his first win of the year. Mason has a 6.84 ERA in 52 1/3 innings pitched. Mason has struck out 58 batters.

Jake Ciafullo ranks No. 7 in the country and second in the MIAA with 21 appearances on the mound this season. Ciafullo is 2-3 with a 7.34 ERA in 28 innings pitched. He has struck out 18 batters.

George Fisher is 2-2 with a 6.66 ERA in five starts. Fisher has allowed 18 earned runs in 24 1/3 innings pitched with 21 strikeouts.
 
Jacob Gajic has tallied a team-best five saves this season. He is 2-5 with a 5.53 ERA in 42 1/3 innings of work. Gajic has struck out 44 batters in 18 appearances. Gajic has produced 14 career saves to rank fourth in Bearcat history. Gajic ranks No. 12 among NCAA Div. II active pitchers with 62 appearances on the mound. He ranks No. 5 on Northwest's all-time pitching appearances chart.
 
Northwest Career Saves
1. 23, Trevor Dudar, 2018-19
2. 17, Carson Smith, 2011-16
3. 15, Matt Goodman, 2000-01
4. 14, Jacob Gajic, 2022-pr.
5. 13, Brett Whittle, 2006-07
6. 12, Jayson Huett, 2010-11
7. 11, Nikko Pablo, 2014-17
8. 9, Evan Nickell, 2007-08
9. 8, Matt Coons, 2003-06
10. 7, Brett Rust, 2002
    7, Troy Newman, 1984-85

Northwest Career Pitching Appearances
1. 87, Jacob Wagner, 2015-18
2. 82, Nikko Pablo, 2014-17
3. 70, Alex Slocum - 2019-23
4. 68, Carson Smith, 2012-16
5. 62, Jacob Gajic, 2022-pr.
6. 61, Brad Roberts, 2015-18
7. 60, Joseph Hietpas, 2015-18
8. 58, Austin Battaglia, 2015-17
9. 56, Brian Greunke, 1987-90
10. 55, Max Spitzmiller, 2018-23
 
The Bearcats scored a 2-1 series win over No. 8-ranked Missouri Southern (March 28-30). It is the first series win over a ranked opponent since Northwest topped Central Missouri in the 2006 season.


Loe is one of 26 active NCAA Div. II head coaches with at least 700 career wins. Loe has tallied 744 triumphs in 31 seasons as a head coach. Loe is one of four active MIAA coaches with 700 or more wins with Bob Fornelli (1,071 – Fort Hays State, Emporia State, Pittsburg State) and Brad Hill (904 – Central Missouri, Kansas State, Emporia State), Sunny Golloway (773 – Oral Roberts, Oklahoma, Auburn, East Central, Northeastern State). Loe is Northwest's all-time coaching wins leader with 588 victories. Loe has a record of 405-421 in MIAA games only. Loe took over as the Bearcat skipper in 2000 and ranks No. 4 in all-time MIAA baseball coaching victories (588).
 
MIAA Coaching Wins (through April 17, 2024)
1. Bob Fornelli (ESU/PSU – 2004-pres.)         1,071
2. Buzz Verduzco (MWSU – 2000-2023)         629
3. Steve Anson (Washburn – 1989-2014)       622
4. Darin Loe (Northwest – 2000-pres.)           588
5. Steve Bever (PSU – 1991-2012)                  565