MARYVILLE, Mo. – The Northwest Missouri State baseball team (19-19, 13-12 MIAA) nearly erased a nine-run deficit in the final three innings but came up just short, falling 12-11 to Newman (9-28, 5-22 MIAA) in Sunday's series finale at Bearcat Baseball Field.
Despite the loss, Northwest claimed the series, 2-1, securing its seventh series win of the season.
Newman got on the board first with a pair of runs in the top of the third on the game's first two hits. Northwest answered in the bottom half, as
Jacob Selock launched his seventh home run of the season—and the 19th of his career—cutting the Jets' lead to 2-1.
The Jets loaded the bases with one out in the fourth and extended their lead after a hit-by-pitch, single, and walk pushed it to 5-1. Newman's Blake Mitchell then delivered a grand slam to blow the game open at 9-1. Bearcat reliever
Leonardo May took over for starter
Logan Brasel (4-1) during the frame.
Ryan Williams responded in the fifth with a two-run shot to left-center to bring the Bearcats within six, 9-3.
The Jets added insurance with one run in the sixth and two more in the seventh, stretching the lead to 12-3. Northwest didn't go down quietly—
Ashton Neuman led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo homer, followed by base hits from
Dylan Hufft and
Sam Wornson.
Chester Brooks then delivered a two-out, two-run single and advanced to third on an error, narrowing the margin to 12-6.
The eighth went scoreless on both sides, setting the stage for a dramatic ninth inning.
Fuga Yambe took the mound in the top of the ninth and retired the Jets in order to give the Bearcats one last chance. In the bottom half, Hufft drew a walk, and
Kaehukai Young drove him in with a double. Wornson followed with an RBI single to plate Young, making it 12-8. With two outs and two on, pinch-hitter
Parker Griffith stepped in and blasted a three-run home run on a full count to pull Northwest within one.
But the comeback fell just short, as Newman recorded the final out to escape with a 12-11 win.
UP NEXT
Northwest will look to secure its regular season sweep against the No. 2-ranked Central Missouri Mules at 3 p.m., on Tuesday, April 15 at Bearcat Baseball Field.
NOTES
Northwest secured its seventh series win of the 2025 season, the program's most since 2018 (10) …Neuman has drawn 44 walks this season, the third-most in a single year in program history…The Bearcats hit four home runs in the game, their highest single-game total of the season…Young and Hufft have reached base safely in 10 straight games…Young holds a 10 game hitting streak…Eight different Bearcats tallied hits…Griffith recorded a team-high three RBI...Newman snapped a 14-game losing skid.
