Friday, March 21 | 3 p.m.
Northwest Missouri State vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith | Bearcat Baseball Field | Maryville, Mo. 
WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
Saturday, March 15 | 2 p.m.
Northwest Missouri State vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith | Bearcat Baseball Field | Maryville, Mo. 
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Sunday, March 16 | 1 p.m.
Northwest Missouri State vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith | Bearcat Baseball Field | Maryville, Mo. 
WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
Tuesday, March 25 | 3 p.m.
Northwest Missouri State vs. William Jewell | Bearcat Baseball Field | Maryville, Mo.
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The Northwest Missouri State baseball team (10-12, 4-6 MIAA) welcomes the Arkansas-Fort Smith Lions for a three-game series this weekend at Bearcat Baseball Field. Game one is scheduled for Friday at 3 p.m., followed by game two on Saturday at 2 p.m. The series concludes Sunday with a 1 p.m. first pitch.
 
The Bearcats will then host William Jewell on Tuesday, March 25 at 3 p.m.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. UAFS
Although Arkansas-Fort Smith is new to the MIAA this season, the Bearcats and Lions have faced off seven times in program history. UAFS holds a 6-1 advantage in the all-time series, with the most recent matchup taking place in a three-game set from Feb. 1-3, where the Lions secured a series sweep over Northwest. The Bearcats' lone victory came in their first-ever meeting on Feb. 7, 2017, with a 6-3 win.
 
ABOUT THE LIONS
Arkansas-Fort Smith enters the weekend series with an 8-15 overall record and a 3-10 mark in MIAA play. The Lions picked up a 12-2 win at Northeastern State on Tuesday but have dropped seven of their last eight games. Northwest could capitalize on UAFS's struggles on the mound, as the Lions rank fourth in the MIAA in walks allowed per nine innings (4.12). Meanwhile, the Bearcats lead the conference in walks drawn (132), with Ashton Neuman pacing the MIAA with 30. On the mound, UAFS's Grant Shankle (3-4) has thrown two complete games this season, posting a 4.26 ERA through 44.1 innings. Offensively, Cooper White leads the team with 31 hits, including 12 doubles, while batting .378 and starting all 22 games. Noah Davis follows with a .322 average and leads the team with five home runs.
 
SO FAR THIS SEASON

• Senior utility player Ryan Williams has been a consistent force for the Bearcats, hitting .325 with 27 hits and 26 RBIs while reaching base in all 22 games this season. 
• Senior infielder Dylan Hufft leads the team with a .356 batting average, totaling 32 hits, including eight extra-base hits, and a team-best 41 total bases. 
• Senior infielder Kaehukai Young has powered Northwest's offense with a team-high five home runs and 27 RBIs, slugging .487.
• Graduate two-way player Ashton Neuman continues to make an impact, leading the Bearcats in runs scored (28), walks (30)—which leads the nation—stolen bases (5), and sharing the team lead in home runs (5). Neuman has also contributed on the mound, making four appearances and striking out six in 10.1 innings.
• As a team, Northwest has scored 172 runs this season, drawing an MIAA-best 132 walks. The Bearcats have also played clean defense, committing just 18 errors while going error-free in 12 games. On the basepaths, they have been efficient, stealing 22 bases in 25 attempts.
• On the mound, junior right-hander Brock Steggall (3-1) is coming off a strong outing against No. 3 Central Missouri, carrying a 3.32 ERA through 21.2 innings with 15 strikeouts.
•  Junior pitcher Ben Haug (2-2) has logged a team-high 30.2 innings, highlighted by a complete-game shutout in Northwest's 16-0 victory on Feb. 8, while leading the pitching staff with 28 strikeouts. 
• Freshman Leonardo May has emerged as a reliable bullpen option, posting a 2.35 ERA in 7.2 innings across four appearances.

LAST TIME OUT
The Bearcats made a statement Tuesday afternoon, knocking off #3 Central Missouri with a 6-3 victory at Bearcat Baseball Field. The win marks Northwest's first triumph over a top 5 opponent since 2021 and its first home win against the Mules since 2018.
Northwest starter Brock Steggall (3-1) delivered a stellar performance on the mound, tossing seven complete innings while allowing just six hits and three runs. He also racked up a career-high seven strikeouts to pick up his third win of the season. Leonardo May came in to close the door, earning his first save with two shutout innings while surrendering only one baserunner.

At the plate, Brady Miles launched a two-run homer in the fourth to tie the game at 2-2 to total a game-high two RBI. Dylan Hufft contributed an RBI single and reached base three times, while Ryan Williams extended his on-base streak with a clutch RBI double in the fifth. 
 
PREVIOUSLY WITH THE CARDS
Northwest and William Jewell previously played in Liberty, Mo., on March 11, as the Cardinals came away with an 8-6 victory. 
 
JANDRON TAKES OVER
First-year head coach Tony Jandron takes the reigns as only the fourth leader in the last 42 seasons of Bearcat baseball. This is the first head coaching job for Jandron after previously serving as an assistant coach at Illinois State, Central Michigan, Northwood and the College of DuPage.

Jandron's Coaching Profile

• Illinois State - First winning season since 2019 ('24)
• Mid-American Conference (MAC) Champions ('22, '19)
• MAC Tournament Champions ('22,'19)
• MLB Draft Picks ('22', '21, '20, '19)
• NCAA D1 Regional Qualifier ('22,'21,'19)
• NCAA D1 Regional Finalist ('21)
• First NCAA Tournament Appearance in 24 years ('19)
• Tied program record with 47 wins ('19)
• GLIAC Champions ('18, '17)
• GLIAC Tournament Champions ('18, '17)
• NCAA D2 Regional Qualifier ('18, '17)
• 84 wins, 5th in all of Division II ('18, '17)
• Top-20 national ranking ('18, '17)
• Program Record 46 wins ('17)
• First ever NCAA Regional - #1 seed ('17)
• DuPage, 16-win improvement: 39-20 record ('15)
• First year at DuPage resulted in first winning season in five years ('14)

 
Jandron added a pair of assistant coaches in Theo Bartolomeo and Javier Martinez to the Bearcat coaching staff.
 
WILLIAMS NAMED PRESEASON D2 BASEBALL ALL-AMERICAN
Northwest Missouri State University senior Ryan Williams was been named a D2 Baseball Preseason All-America selection, announced Friday. Williams (Kansas City, Mo./Liberty HS) gained a spot on the D2 Baseball Third-Team All-America list.
 
2025 MIAA BASEBALL PRESEASON POLL
1. Central Missouri [11] – 141 points
2. Missouri Southern [2] – 128 points
3. Pittsburg State – 120 points
4. Central Oklahoma – 119 points
5. Washburn – 97 points
6. Fort Hays State – 78 points
7. Emporia State – 67 points
8. Rogers State – 65 points
9. Missouri Western – 53 points
10. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 52 points
11. Northeastern State – 41 points
12. Northwest Missouri – 33 points
13. Newman – 20 points
[#] - First Place Votes