2024 MIAA Tournament Quarterfinal Best 2-of-3 Series – Joplin, Mo.
Friday, May 3
Northwest Missouri State at No. 9 Missouri Southern, 3 p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS

Saturday, May 4
Northwest Missouri State at No. 9 Missouri Southern, 1 p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS
Sunday, May 5 (if necessary)
Northwest Missouri State at No. 9 Missouri Southern, 1 p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS

The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team will look to keep its season alive as the Bearcats take part in the quarterfinal round of the 2024 MIAA Baseball Tournament at Warren Turner Field in Joplin, Mo.

The No. 7-seeded Bearcats (21-28 overall, 12-21 MIAA) will take on No. 9-ranked and No. 2-seeded Missouri Southern Lions (37-13, 24-9 MIAA) in a best 2-of-3 series. Game one is set for Friday at 3 p.m. Game two will be played Saturday at 1 p.m. Game three (if necessary) will begin Sunday at 1 p.m.

The winner of the series will advance to the MIAA Tournament final round-robin competition in Pittsburg, Kan., on May 9-12.

Northwest took two of three games against Missouri Southern in Maryville, Mo., when the teams met March 28-30. Northwest won game one, 6-5 in 11 innings. The Lions won game two in 12 innings, 7-5. Northwest won the rubber match by scoring seven runs in its final two at bats to tally a 12-5 victory.

The Lions have been impressive with a 23-3 mark at home this season. Northwest has registered 11 road wins in 2024, including a 9-4 triumph at No. 20-ranked Central Oklahoma this past weekend to clinch a spot in the MIAA Tournament. The Bearcats won four of their final seven road games in MIAA play.

Northwest is making its first MIAA Tournament appearance since the 2019 season.
 
Northwest has set the program record for home runs in a season with 52 long balls this year.

Home Runs (Season)
1. 52 – 2024
2. 51 – 1988
3. 50 – 2005
    50 – 2008
5. 49 – 2001
    49 – 2023
7. 44 – 2000
    44 – 2007
9. 42 – 1987
    42 – 2006
 
The Bearcats have set a program single-season record by having drawn 276 walks. The previous season-high for walks was 231 set in the 2004 season. Northwest ranks No. 12 in the nation and No. 4 in the MIAA this year with the 276 base-on-balls.
 
Walks (Season)
1. 2024 - 276
2. 2004 - 231
3. 2016 - 229
4. 2001 - 226
5. 2019 – 212
 
2024 NCAA Div. II Walk Leaders
1. Tampa                     327
2. Lander                     299
3. Emporia State         297
4. UIndy                       294
5. Oklahoma Baptist   292
6. Ga. Southwestern   283
    Missouri Southern   283
    North Georgia         283
9. UNC Pembroke        281
10. Texas A&M Int'l    280
11. Central Missouri   278
12. Northwest Mo. St. 276

Northwest has produced 487 hits this season to rank as the 10th-best single-season total in school history. Northwest has notched the eighth-most runs (371) and the seventh-most RBI (327) in program history.

Hits (Season)
1. 604 - 2005
2. 537 - 2007
3. 534 - 2002
4. 520 - 2004
    520 - 1989
6. 518 - 2006
7. 498 - 2016
8. 493 - 1988
9. 488 - 2017
10. 487 – 2024
 
Runs Scored (Season)
1. 427 - 2005
2. 415 - 1989
3. 408 - 1988
4. 400 - 2004
5. 376 - 2003
6. 347 - 2007
    347 - 2002
8. 371 - 2024
9. 357 - 2006
10. 346 – 2001
 
Runs Batted In (Season)
1. 386 - 2005
2. 353 - 1989
3. 343 - 1988
4. 341 - 2004
5. 331 - 2006
6. 328 - 2002
7. 327 - 2024
8. 322 - 2007
9. 314 - 2001
10. 313 - 2003

Junior Ryan Williams set the single-season Bearcat walks record when he surpassed the old mark of 45 that was held by Brandon Huske in 2013 and Nick Gotta in 2016. Williams has earned 47 free passes this season, which ranks No. 2 in the nation and the MIAA. Missouri Southern's Drew Townsend has drawn a nation's best 52 walks this year. Williams has reached base in 12 straight games entering Friday's MIAA Tournament game at Missouri Southern.
 
Walks (Season)
1. Ryan Williams, 2024 – 47
2. Brandon Huske, 2013 - 45
    Nick Gotta, 2016 - 45
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
    Jacob Selock, 2024 – 31

Hits (Season)
1. 81, Ryan Bledsoe, 2008
2. 79, Ryan Ellis, 2002
3. 78, Adam Bailey, 2000
4. 73, Will Newland, 2006
5. 72, Drew Mettille, 2005
    72, Hudson Bilodeau, 2018
    72, Connor Quick, 2019
8. 71, Kyle Gallagher, 2005
    71, Ryan Abernathy, 2012
10. 70, Ryley Westman, 2007
    70, John Sipes, 2002
    70, Adam Bailey, 2001
 
Along with all his walks, Williams is also doing damage with his bat by hitting a team-best .390. Williams ranks second in the MIAA in on-base percentage (.514). He ranks No. 26 in the nation in on-base percentage. Williams's .390 batting average ranks sixth in the MIAA. Williams leads Northwest in batting average (.390), slugging percentage (.695), hits (69), runs (48), doubles (17), home runs (11), total bases (123) and walks (47). Williams has posted 22 multi-hit games and 13 multi-RBI contests. Williams has tallied seven three-hit games this year. Williams has posted a team-best 22 two-out RBI. Williams's 17 doubles ties for the fifth-most two-baggers in a single-season in Bearcat history.
 
Doubles (Season)
1. 22, Scott Spurgeon, 1998 - 22
2. 21, Adam Bailey, 2001 - 21
3. 19, Ryan Bledsoe, 2008 - 19
4. 18, Jon Henne Jr., 2010 - 18
5. 17, Adam Bailey, 2000
    17, Britt Westman, 2005
    17, Sergio Davila, 2006
    17, Tristan Stewart, 2006
    17, Ryan Abernathy, 2012
    17, Ryan Williams, 2024
 
Williams ranks No. 6 on Northwest's single-season total bases list with 125.
 
Total Bases (Season)
1. 153, Adam Bailey, 2000
2. 147, Scott Spurgeon, 1988
3. 132, Adam Bailey, 2001
4. 130, Kyle Gallagher, 2005
5. 128, Ryan Bledsoe, 2008
6. 123, Ryan Williams, 2024
7. 120, Will Newland, 2006
    120, Ron Czanstkowski, 1989
9. 119, Willie Ciaramitaro, 2002
10. 116, Britt Westman, 2007
    116, John Sipes, 2003
 
Trey Morris ranks No. 2 in the MIAA in RBI (63) and ranks No. 44 the nation. Morris's 63 RBI ranks as the second-best single-season total in program history. Morris is hitting .332. He ranks second on the squad with 68 hits, including a team-high eight with the bases loaded. Morris also tops the Bearcats in home runs (11), multi-hit games games (22) and multi-RBI games (17). Morris has accumulated 11 three-hit affairs. Morris is credited with a team-best 26 hits and 18 RBI in two-out scenarios. Morris has posted 205 at-bats this season, which ranks tied for the sixth-most in a single season in Bearcat history.

Runs Batted In (Season)
1. 66, Rob Czanstkowski, 1989
2. 63, Trey Morris, 2024
3. 61, Adam Bailey, 2000
4. 58, Scott Spurgeon, 1988
    58, Ryan Koski, 2023
6. 56, Willie Ciaramitaro, 2002
7. 55, Kyle Gallagher, 2005
8. 54, Britt Westman, 2007
    54, John Sipes, 2003
10. 52, Jay Hearn, 1996
 
At-Bats (Season)
1. 213, Ozzie Adams, 2017
2. 209, Ozzie Adams, 2016
    209, Garrett Fort, 2017
4. 207, Ryan Bledsoe, 2008
5. 206, Britt Westman, 2005
6. 205, Ryley Westman, 2007
     205, Trey Morris, 2024
8. 203, Ben Malick, 2007
9. 202, Kyle Gallagher, 2005
    202, Landon Figg, 2017

Noah Bodenhausen leads the squad with 11 sacrifice bunts, which ranks as the eight-best total in the nation. He is second on the team with 45 runs scored. Bodenhausen is batting .279 with 51 hits and 13 stolen bases. He is 20-of-45 (.444) when leading off an inning. Bodenhausen has 12 multi-hit games, including a four-hit game, and four multi-RBI contests. Bodenhausen has tallied 30 walks.

Kaehukai Young ranks tied for third on the squad with 40 runs scored. He is batting .286 with 44 hits and six home runs. He has drawn 25 walks and has been hit by a pitch on 12 occasions. He is 6-for-6 in stolen base attempts.
 
Cole Slibowski is batting .284 with 55 hits and is riding a seven-game hitting streak into the MIAA Tournament. He has also reached base in 11 straight games heading into Friday's game at Missouri Southern. Slibowski has 16 two-out RBI. He is third on the team with 17 multi-hit contests. He has posted nine multi-RBI games. Slibowski has a team-best 36 hits when leading off an inning (36-of-74 - .486).

Jacob Selock is batting .260 with 34 hits, 28 runs scored and 32 RBI. Selock has knocked seven balls out of the park. Selock has drawn 31 walks.
 
Brady Miles is batting .255 with seven home runs, seven doubles and 29 RBI. He leads the squad with six sacrifice flies.
 
Caden Diel has returned from a wrist injury and is batting .363 with 29 hits in 80 at-bats. Diel has been perfect on the base paths with 14 steals in 14 attempts to lead the squad in thefts.
 
The Bearcat pitching staff has put up a 7.20 team earned run average. Northwest pitchers have struck out 399 batters in 419 innings. The 399 strikeouts rank as the second-best season for punchouts in program history. Northwest needs only 11 more strikeouts to tie the school mark of 410 set in the 2018 season.
 
Strikeouts (Season)
1. 410 – 2018
2. 399 – 2024
3. 388 – 2017
4. 387 – 2023
5. 382 – 2016
 
Casey Stalzer leads the MIAA with 97 strikeouts. Stalzer ranks No. 3 in the nation in batters struck out. Stalzer's 97 strikeouts ranks tied for the fourth-best single-season total in program history. Stalzer is 6-3 in 12 starts with a 6.11 earned run average. He is tied for fourth in the MIAA in pitching wins (6).
 
Stalzer has struck out at least eight batters in nine of his 13 starts. Stalzer also ranks No. 6 in the country in strikeouts-per-nine innings (12.71) in 68 2/3 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
    97, Casey Stalzer, 2024
6. 93, Max Spitzmiller, 2022
7. 91, Anthony Caenepeel, 2016
8. 88, Steve Nelson, 1989
9. 81, Joseph Hietpas, 2017
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 (2-5) struck out 11 Hornets in picking up his first win of the year. Mason has a 8.10 ERA in 60 innings pitched. Mason has struck out 67 batters, which ranks No. 5 in the MIAA.

Jake Ciafullo ranks No. 9 in the country and second in the MIAA with 24 appearances on the mound this season. Ciafullo is 2-3 with a 7.20 ERA in 35 innings pitched. He has struck out 24 batters.

George Fisher is 2-2 with a 6.48 ERA in seven starts. Fisher has allowed 24 earned runs in 33 1/3 innings pitched with 28 strikeouts.
 
Jacob Gajic has tallied a team-best eight saves, which is tied for seventh-best on the Bearcat single-season chart. Gajic is 2-5 with a 4.50 ERA in 52 innings of work. Gajic has struck out 53 batters in 52 appearances. Gajic performed an 11-out save in Northwest's 9-4 win at No. 20-ranked Central Oklahoma.
 
Gajic delivered a pair of nine-out saves to lift the Bearcats to a series win over Northeastern State. Gajic pitched six innings and did not allow a run. He gave up three hits and struck out six RiverHawk batters. On Saturday, Gajic entered in the seventh inning and allowed one hit over three innings of work. Gajic struck out three in earning a three-inning save. On Sunday, Gajic delivered another three-inning save to nail down a 13-8 win over the RiverHawks. Gajic got the final nine outs while allowing two hits and two walks. He struck out two NSU hitters.
 
Gajic has produced 17 career saves to rank third in Bearcat history and No. 10 among NCAA Div. II active career leaders. Gajic ranks No. 12 among NCAA Div. II active pitchers with 64 appearances on the mound. He ranks No. 5 on Northwest's all-time pitching appearances chart.
 
Northwest Saves (Season)
1. 14, Trevor Dudar, 2018
2. 12, Matt Goodman, 2000
3. 11, Nikko Pablo, 2017
4. 9, Brett Whittle, 2006
    9, Carson Smith, 2015
    9, Trevor Dudar, 2019
7. 8, Evan Nickell, 2008
    8, Matt Coons, 2004
    8, Jacob Gajic, 2024
10. 7, David Dugan, 2003
    7, Troy Newman, 1985
    7, Jacob Kemper, 2009
    7, Carson Smith, 2016

Northwest Saves (Career)
1. 23, Trevor Dudar, 2018-19
2. 17, Carson Smith, 2011-16
    17, Jacob Gajic, 2022-pr.
4. 15, Matt Goodman, 2000-01
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. 65, 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.

Head coach Darin Loe is one of 26 active NCAA Div. II head coaches with at least 700 career wins. Loe has tallied 748 triumphs in 31 seasons as a head coach. Loe is one of four active MIAA coaches with 700 or more wins with Bob Fornelli (1,076 – Fort Hays State, Emporia State, Pittsburg State) and Brad Hill (907 – Central Missouri, Kansas State, Emporia State), Sunny Golloway (774 – Oral Roberts, Oklahoma, Auburn, East Central, Northeastern State). Loe is Northwest's all-time coaching wins leader with 592 victories. Loe has a record of 408-424 in MIAA games only. Loe took over as the Bearcat skipper in 2000 and ranks No. 4 in all-time MIAA baseball coaching victories (590).
 
MIAA Coaching Wins (through May 1, 2024)
1. Bob Fornelli (ESU/PSU – 2004-pres.)         1,076
2. Buzz Verduzco (MWSU – 2000-2023)         629
3. Steve Anson (Washburn – 1989-2014)       622
4. Darin Loe (Northwest – 2000-pres.)           592
5. Steve Bever (PSU – 1991-2012)                  565