JOPLIN, Mo. – The Northwest Missouri State baseball team came up short in both games of Sunday's doubleheader against No. 13 Missouri Southern at Warren Turner Field. The Bearcats battled through 12 innings in game one but fell 6-5, before dropping the nightcap 12-7.

The Bearcats dipped to 4-6 on the season and 0-2 in the MIAA, while the Lions improved to 9-2 overall and 2-0 in conference play. 
 
GAME ONE – NO. 13 MISSOURI SOUTHERN 6, NORTHWEST 5 (12 INN.)
Game one of Sunday's doubleheader saw a thriller as No. 13 Missouri Southern edged Northwest with a 12-inning walk-off victory. MSSU's Ethan Clark delivered the game-winning hit for the Lions, singling to center to bring home the deciding run in the bottom of the 12th.

Ryan Williams led the Bearcats at the plate, driving in three runs on a double in the seventh - collecting two hits in the game. Alex Bowers and Ashton Neuman scattered two hits apiece.

On the mound, Bearcat starter Jaren Guck worked 4 2/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits while striking out three. Reliever Brock Steggall (1-1) put in an extended effort out of the bullpen, tossing 5 2/3 innings but surrendering three earned runs on eight hits in the loss.

The Bearcats plated the game's first run in the third inning when Bowers grounded out to first, bringing Brody Hufft home from third. 

Northwest added to its lead in the fourth after Neuman reached on an error, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a perfectly executed squeeze bunt by Miles, giving the 'Cats a 2-0 advantage.

Missouri Southern responded in the bottom half of the fourth when C. Darnell laced an RBI triple to cut the deficit to 2-1. The Lions pulled even in the fifth, capitalizing on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to tie the game at two. Bearcat starter Guck battled on the mound before handing things over to Connor Polli with two outs in the inning.

The Lions grabbed their first lead of the game in the sixth when Darnell struck again, this time launching a solo home run to left to put MSSU up 3-2.

Northwest answered back in the seventh, chasing Lions' starter C. Gayman from the game. After Miles was hit by a pitch to start the inning, Jacob Selock reached on an error, and Bowers worked a walk to load the bases. Williams then ripped a three-run double into the right-center gap to put the Bearcats back on top, 5-3.

Steggall took over on the mound in the seventh and worked around a lead off base runner to keep MSSU off the board. However, the Lions found life in the eighth, putting runners on second and third with two outs. On a full count, the Lions dropped a bloop single into center, scoring both runs and knotting the game at 5-5 heading into the final frame.

Steggall sat the Lions down in order in the bottom of the ninth, sending the game into extra innings. 

MSSU tallied a one-out double to right to stick a runner on second. Steggall retired the following hitter, yet the Lions had a base runner on second with two gone in bottom half of the tenth. Steggall came set on a two-two count and dealt a breaking ball to punch out MSSU's Ethan Clark to send the game to the 11th inning tied at 5-5. 

The Lions threatened in the bottom half, but Leonardo May made a stellar play at the hot corner, doubling up the Lions to retire the side. 

Northwest couldn't tally a run in the top half of the 12th, as Steggall went back out to the mound. Steggall allowed a lead-off single to begin the inning, as MSSU would eventually have runners at the corners with one out. A rocket to Bearcat shortstop Dylan Hufft quickly made two outs. MSSU struck next with a walk-off RBI single to center to clinch a lengthy game one, 6-5, in 12 innings. 
 
GAME TWO – NO. 13 MISSOURI SOUTHERN 12, NORTHWEST 7
The Lions jumped out early, plating nine runs in the first three innings to secure a 12-7 victory over Northwest in game two.  

Neuman and Young each launched home runs in the contest, while Jacob Selock added two RBIs for the Bearcats.

MSSU managed four runs in the first two innings to take an early 4-0 advantage. 

Selock would answer back with an RBI single in the top half of the third to notch Northwest's first run of the game. Williams would continue to drive in runners as he followed with another RBI single. Neuman stepped up with a runner on and blasted his second homer of the season to knot the game up at four. 

The Lions took a 9-4 lead after a five-run third inning. 

Young smashed his fourth long ball of the 2025 season in the fourth inning, cutting the deficit to four runs. 

Kayden Cook took the bump in the bottom half for Haug. Haug threw three innings, allowing nine earned across eight hits. 

MSSU added a pair of runs in the seventh to lead 11-5. Northwest would string a pair of runs in the next half inning off a Selock RBI and a wild pitch, but the Lions still led by four. 

Freshman Carter Liezert made his second appearance of the season in the bottom of the eighth for Cook. Cook ended the night going 4 1/3 innings pitching, four hits, two earned and a trio of punch outs. 
The Lions added one in the eighth off Liezert to help cushion a 12-7 win in game two. 

The Bearcats were out-hit 13-to-4 and left eight runners on base. Northwest notched its fourth game this season without committing a fielding error. 

UP NEXT
Northwest will be back at Warren Turner Field in Joplin, Mo., on Monday, Feb. 24, for the series finale against MSSU. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.