MARYVILLE, Mo. – The Northwest Missouri State baseball team (19-20, 13-13 MIAA) couldn't fend off a powerful offensive showing from No. 4 Central Missouri (29-9, 19-7 MIAA), dropping a 17-10 decision in the regular season series finale Tuesday afternoon at Bearcat Baseball Field.
Despite the loss, the Bearcats claimed the season series, 2-1.

The matchup saw plenty of pitching changes, with 15 total arms used between the two squads—eight Bearcats and seven Mules. Northwest built a 10-4 lead through three innings, but Central Missouri responded consistently, scoring in every inning but the eighth and finishing with 20 total hits.

Ashton Neuman paced the Bearcat offense with three hits, including a pair of doubles and an RBI. Kaehukai Young chipped in two RBI on a double and a solo home run.

Central Missouri's Jacob Steele led off the ballgame with a triple to left center, later scoring on a single to lead 1-0 through the opening frame. 
The Mules added two in the second before Alex Bowers sent a line drive into the right-center gap off a new Mules arm, scoring Young and Sam Wornson. After two complete, the Bearcats trailed 3-2. 

Central Missouri answered with a run in the third to lead 4-2. 

Neuman kick-started the home half with a double, as Ryan Williams followed with a single to stick runners on the corners. Next batter, Dylan Hufft, laid down a squeeze bunt to score Neuman to make it 4-3. Young then stepped up to the plate and crushed a go-ahead two-run shot on the first pitch he saw to give the 'Cats a 5-4 advantage. Chester Brooks reached on a dropped third strike, which would score Wornson in from third. Jacob Selock smoked a two-RBI double, as Neuman tallied his second double of the inning to score Selock. The two-out rally lived on, as Ryan Williams tacked on with another double to make it 10-4.

The No. 4-ranked team in the country didn't go down quietly, scoring four runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to knot it up at 10 through five innings. 

Young recorded the Bearcats first hit since the 8-run third – a double down the left field line. 

The Mules' pitching staff shut down the potent Bearcat offense in the final six innings of play, allowing just two hits, two walks, and striking out nine. Central Missouri would come out with a 17-10 victory in the lengthy series finale. 

Garrett Stoll (0-1) was issued the loss, entering in the fifth for Connor Polli. Central Missouri's Sawyer Allen (3-0) earned the win, tossing three innings, allowing one hit and striking out five. 
 
UP NEXT
Northwest treks to Edmond, Okla., this weekend to face Central Oklahoma. The three-game set opens at 5 p.m., on Thursday, April 17 at Wendell Simmons Field.