EDMOND, Okla. -- The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team split Sunday's games against the No. 20-ranked Central Oklahoma Bronchos, securing a 9-4 win in game one and a 7-6 setback in game two at Wendell Simmons Field.

Northwest closes out the regular season 21-28 overall and 12-21 in the MIAA. Central Oklahoma improves to 36-12 overall and 22-11 in conference action. 

With a win today, Northwest has clinched a spot in the 2024 MIAA tournament for the first time since the 2019 season. 

GAME ONE
Casey Stalzer tallied 11 strikeouts in a 9-4 victory in game two, evening the series at one.

Ryan Williams woke up the Northwest bats early with a solo shot in the first to put the Bearcats in front 1-0. Central Oklahoma scratched across one to even the score at one in the bottom half. 

Cole Slibowski singled home two runs in the second to bring the score to 3-1. The game was delayed because of lightning in the area. Northwest and Central Oklahoma would return to action at noon on Sunday, April 28, with Northwest holding a 3-1 lead with one out in the bottom of the second. 

Right out of the gates, Noah Bodenhausen reached on a fielder's choice to score Kaehukai Young to make it 4-2 in the fourth. Jacob Selock added a run, holding a 5-2 lead. 

Jacob Gajic entered the game for Bearcat starter Casey Stalzer. Stalzer (6-3) had another solid outing going 5 1/3, four earned runs, and striking out eleven. 

Central Oklahoma never led in game one, as Northwest put up a four-spot in the ninth. A Trey Morris RBI-double, a Brady Miles RBI-single, and a Young two-run shot to dead center solidified a 9-4 win in game two. 

Stalzer's 11 strikeouts on the mound today totals 97 on the season which is tied for fourth-most in a single season in Bearcat history. 

Strikeouts
1. - Anthony Caenepeel, 2017 - 114
2. - Joseph Hietpas, 2018 - 110
3. - Brad Roberts, 2018 - 106
4. - Scott Kurtz, 1969 - 97
Casey Stalzer, 2024 - 97
5. - Max Spitzmiller, 2022 - 93

Gajic earned the save in game one, bringing his season total to eight which is tied for seventh-most in a single season in Bearcat history. Gajic has tallied 17 career saves in his Bearcat career, which ranks tied for second-most in school history. 

Season Saves
1. - Trevor Dudar, 2018 - 14
2. - Matt Goodman, 2000 - 12
3. - Nikko Pablo, 2017 - 11
4. - Brett Whittle, 2006 - 9
Carson Smith, 2015 - 9
Trevor Dudar, 2019 - 9
7. - Evan Nickell, 2008 - 8
Matt Coons, 2004 - 8
Jacob Gajic, 2024 - 8
9. - David Dugan, 2003 - 7
Troy Newman, 1985 - 7
Jacob Kemper, 2009 - 7
Carson Smith, 2016 - 7

Career Saves
1. - Trevor Dudar, 2018-19 - 23
2. - Carson Smith, 2011-16 - 17
Jacob Gajic, 2024 - 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. - Evan Nickell, 2007-08 - 9
8. - Matt Coons, 2003-06 - 8
9. - Brett Rust, 2002 - 7
Troy Newman, 1984-85 - 7

Trey Morris reached 62 RBI this season, which marks him second-most in Bearcat history. 

RUNS BATTED IN
1. - Rob Czanstkowski, 1989 - 66
2. Trey Morris, 2024 - 62
3. - Adam Bailey, 2000 - 61
4. - Scott Spurgeon, 1988 - 58
  - Ryan Koski, 2023 - 58
5. - Willie Ciaramitaro, 2002 - 56
6. - Kyle Gallagher, 2005 - 55
7. - Britt Westman, 2007 - 54
John Sipes, 2003 - 54
9. - Jay Hearn, 1996 - 52
10. - Britt Westman, 2008 - 51

GAME TWO
Northwest took No. 20 Central Oklahoma into 11 innings but fell short 7-6. 

George Fisher got the nod for the series finale. Fisher sat down the Bronchos in order in the opening frame. 

Wornson collected the game's first run after he blasted a solo shot over the left field fence, giving the 'Cats a 1-0 lead. 

Quite a pitcher's duel in the second, third, and fourth innings. Bodenhausen put a run up on the board, driving in Wornson from third to make it a 2-1 game in the fifth. 

Andrew Clark relieved Fisher in the sixth. Fisher went five innings, allowed just two hits, and struck out five. Clark surrendered a go-ahead solo shot to give Central Oklahoma a 3-2 lead. 

Back-to-back-to-back singles by Selock, Slibowski, and Caden Diel brought home a run to knot the game up at three. Ryan Williams stepped up to the plate with runners on second and third and crushed a three-run homer to give the 'Cats a 6-3 lead in the seventh. 

Reliever Jake Ciafullo made his 24th appearance of the season in the seventh. The Bronchos tied the game up at six after seven complete. 

Ben Haug entered in the ninth, sitting down two hitters and retiring the side with no damage done. Northwest played in its fourth extra-inning game this season. 

With two outs in the bottom of the eleventh, Central Oklahoma hit a dribbler back to Connor Polli but was unable to record the out as the winning run crossed home plate, giving the Bronchos a 7-6 series-clinching victory.

Polli (2-1) took the loss, as Fisher, Clark, Ciafullo, and Haug all logged innings in game two for Northwest. 

Williams led the Bearcat offense going 2-for-5 with a three-run shot.