JOPLIN, Mo. -- The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team's season concluded with a 10-4 setback against the No. 9 nationally-ranked Missouri Southern State Lions in the quarterfinals of the 2024 MIAA Tournament.

Northwest ends its season 21-30 overall, as Missouri Southern advances to the second round of the MIAA Tournament with a 39-13 record. 

A quiet first three innings for both teams. Missouri Southern scattered six hits and Bearcat starter Casey Stalzer was able to leave the Lion runner stranded. 

Brady Miles sent a ball over the right field fence to break the scoring open with a solo shot to put the Bearcats up 1-0 in the fourth. 

In the fifth, Kaehukai Young tallied two more runs for Northwest on a two-RBI single right over the second baseman's head to give the 'Cats a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom half. 

A quick answer from Missouri Southern in the fifth. The Lions tallied three runs on three hits to knot the game back up.

Stalzer's day was done after going four innings, nine hits, two earned runs, and two strikeouts. Junior left-hander Jacob Gajic came in for Stalzer with a runner on second. Missouri Southern was able to scratch across two more to take a 5-3 lead through five complete. 

Southern tacked on three more in the sixth to take an 8-3 lead. 

Young notched his third RBI of the game on a single to right, bringing in Ryan Williams to make it 8-4. 

The Lions added two in the eighth, as Northwest would drop the opening series to Missouri Southern, 10-4, in game two. 

Gajic (2-6) took the loss in four innings of work. 

Missouri Southern will advance to the next round of the MIAA Tournament held at Pittsburg State. 

Team Season Stats:
With 54 home runs this season, Northwest has etched a new record for most long balls hit during a single season in program history. 

The Bearcats accumulated 498 hits this season, which ranks No. 7 in program history. 

Northwest drew 208 walks this season, tieing for fifth all-time in program history. 

Northwest produced the fifth-most runs scored in a single season and also in RBI (332). 

The Northwest pitching staff was counted for 405 strikeouts this season, which ranks No. 2 in program history, only trailing the 2018 season's 410 strikeouts. 

Individual Season Stats:
Stalzer was a strikeout short of becoming the fourth ever Bearcat to reach the 100+ strikeout mark in a single season.
Stalzer ended the 2024 campaign with 99 strikeouts, ranking him fourth all-time. 

Gajic provided eight out of Northwest's nine saves, ranking him tied for seventh in program history. 

Williams tallied team high's in doubles (18), making him tied for fourth in program history, walks (48), which is a new program record in a single season, hits (72) ,which ties for fifth in program history, total bases (127), ranking him sixth in Bearcat history, and runs scored (50), batting average (.391), slugging percentage (.690), and on-base percentage (.523).

Trey Morris knocked in a team high 63 RBI, while also leading the Bearcats in home runs with 12. 

Morris and Williams played in all 51 games this season, making all 51 starts. 

Noah Bodenhausen swiped a team-high 13 bases this season.