Sunday, Feb. 1
(DH) Northwest Missouri State at Southwestern Oklahoma State | Weatherford, Okla.
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Monday, Feb. 2
(DH) Northwest Missouri State at Southwestern Oklahoma State | Weatherford, Okla.
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The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team will begin its 2026 season with a four-game set on the road against Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Okla.
 
The Bearcats and Bulldogs will play a pair of doubleheaders on Sunday and Monday at the SWOSU Baseball Field. Game times in Weatherford are still to be determined for both doubleheaders while the squads wait on weather and field conditions. It will be the first meeting between the two schools on the baseball diamond.
 
Northwest head coach Tony Jandron led the Bearcats to a berth in the 2025 MIAA Baseball Tournament championship game while securing the most ever wins by a first-year coach in program history.
 
Jandron guided the Bearcats to a 27-25 mark in the 2025 season. Northwest went 19-17 in MIAA play and earned the No. 6 seed in the 2025 MIAA Tournament. In 2025, the Bearcats set the program record for home runs (57) in a single season.
 
Northwest's top returning hitter is junior Chester Brooks. Brooks hit .306 in 47 games with 48 hits, 39 runs, 10 doubles, five homers, 23 RBI, 21 walks and five stolen bases. Brooks was honored as the 2025 Ban Johnson Defensive Player of the Year in the offseason.
 
The Bearcats' top returning pitcher is senior Ben Haug. Haug notched honorable mention all-MIAA laurels last season. He made 14 starts on the mound and went 5-5 with a 5.84 earned run average. Haugh struck out a team-high 88 batters. He tossed two complete games and a shutout.
 
The Bearcats were selected to finish ninth in the 2026 MIAA preseason coaches poll.
 
2026 MIAA BASEBALL PRESEASON RANKINGS
1. Central Missouri [12] – 144 points
2. Pittsburg State – 125 points
3. Central Oklahoma – 115 points
4. Missouri Southern [1] – 97 points 
5. Washburn – 93 points
6. Fort Hays State – 92 points
7. Rogers State – 82 points
8. Emporia State – 72 points
9. Northwest Missouri State – 67 points
10. Missouri Western – 50 points
11. Northeastern State – 32 points
12. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 25 points
13. Newman – 20 points 
[#] - First Place Votes