HAYS, Kan. – The Northwest Missouri State baseball team (22-24, 16-17 MIAA) jumped out to a three-run lead in the first inning but was held in check the rest of the way, as No. 21 Fort Hays State (32-12, 26-7 MIAA) used a four-run eighth inning to take the weekend series Sunday at Larks Park.

The Bearcats outhit the Tigers, 8-5 but left 10 runners stranded on base. 

Starter Brock Steggall tossed 7 1/3 innings, allowing just four hits and three runs before exiting in the eighth with two runners aboard. 

Dylan Hufft paced the Bearcat offense with three hits, including his fourth triple of the season, while Chester Brooks added a double, an RBI, and a 2-for-5 day at the plate. 

Northwest came out firing, sending nine hitters to the plate with its first seven reaching base safely. Hufft set the tone with a leadoff triple to right, and Ryan Williams immediately followed with an RBI single. Ashton Neuman drew his 50th walk of the season, and Brooks brought home Williams to make it 2-0. Kaehukai Young kept the momentum going with a single to left, pushing the lead to 3-0. After Leonardo May added another walk, Northwest left the bases loaded, but not before forcing Fort Hays State to throw 37 pitches in the opening inning.

Steggall opened strong with a three-up, three-down bottom of the first to settle in. Chester Brooks led off the third with a double on the first pitch he saw, but for the second time in the game, a Bearcat was thrown out at the plate, keeping it a 3-0 Northwest lead.

Steggall surrendered his first hit and baserunner in the fourth inning. Fort Hays State finally broke through in the eighth with a one-out double to cut the deficit to 3-1. A sacrifice fly pulled the Tigers within one, prompting Steggall's exit after recording one out.

Landon Wells entered in relief but was only able to secure one out before a surprise call to the bullpen brought in Logan Brasel. The Tigers grabbed their first lead of the game after a bases-loaded walk and an RBI single. Sam Wornson made a strong throw from the outfield to limit the damage and end the frame with Northwest trailing by just one.

In the ninth, Dylan Hufft collected his third hit of the day, and Ryan Williams drew a walk to move Hufft into scoring position. A wild pitch advanced both runners to second and third with two outs, but an infield flyout sealed Fort Hays State's 16th come-from-behind victory of the season, as the Tigers claimed the series with a 4-3 win.

Wells (1-3) was dealt the loss, as the Tigers' Brett Jacobs (3-0) earned the win in relief. 
 
UP NEXT
Northwest will host Emporia State in its final home series of the season before the 2025 MIAA Tournament. Game one is set for 3 p.m., on Thursday, May 1 at Bearcat Baseball Field.