HAYS, Kan. -- The Northwest Missouri State baseball team (22-23, 16-16 MIAA) powered its way to a 13-2 victory over No. 21 Fort Hays State (31-12, 25-7 MIAA) to even the series, backed by a 16-hit offensive outburst and a complete-game performance from Bearcat starter Jaren Guck.

Ashton Neuman, Chester Brooks, and Sam Wornson each tallied three hits for the Bearcats, with Wornson driving in a game-high four RBIs.

Guck (2-1) delivered a complete-game gem, limiting the nationally ranked Tigers to just two runs on five hits.

Northwest outslugged Fort Hays State, 16-to-5, and strung together eight unanswered runs across the middle and late innings.

Northwest opened the scoring in the second when Jacob Selock delivered a two-out RBI single through the left side to plate Kaehukai Young, 1-0. Fort Hays State answered with a run in the home half to even it up at 1-1. 

In the third, Sam Wornson sent one back up the middle to score Ashton Neuman on the go-ahead run. 

The Bearcats tacked on their first set of unanswered runs in the fourth, that began with a Selock double that scored Alex Bowers in from second. Ryan Williams then tallied another run with an RBI single to make it 4-1. 

A five-run, four-hit frame awakened the Bearcat offense in the sixth. Neuman doubled home Williams with one out in the inning, followed by Young's three-run moonshot to extend the lead to 8-1. Dylan Hufft drew a bases-loaded walk to round off the top half, leading 9-1. 

A solo homer from the Tigers in the eighth made it 9-2 as the ninth inning approached. 

Northwest added the finishing touches after Neuman scored on a wild pitch. Wornson capped off his four-RBI night with the Bearcats' second three-run shot to seal the 13-2 win in game two of the series. 

With one walk drawn today, Ashton Neuman tallied his 49th walk drawn of the season, topping current teammate Ryan Williams' single-season record of 48 set last season. 

SINGLE SEASON WALKS DRAWN
1. Ashton Neuman, 2025-pres. - 49
2. - Ryan Williams, 2024 - 48
3. - Brandon Huske, 2013 - 45
Nick Gotta, 2016 - 45
5. - Ryan Koski, 2022 - 37
6. - Scott Spurgeon, 1988 - 35
7. - Nick Gotta, 2015 - 33
8. - Ben Malick, 2008 - 32
Jerry Mikusa, 1985 - 32
Austin Wulff, 2015 - 32
Noah Bodenhausen, 2024 - 32

UP NEXT
Northwest looks to take its eighth season series in its rubber match with No. 21 Fort Hays State. First pitch is set for tomorrow, April 28, at Noon.