Friday, Feb. 27 | 3 p.m. (CT)
Northwest Missouri State at Emporia State (Trusler Sports Complex)
WATCH | LIVE STATS | HOTEL/LODGING

Saturday, Feb. 28 | 12 p.m./3 p.m.(CT) - Doubleheader
Northwest Missouri State at Emporia State (Trusler Sports Complex)
WATCH | LIVE STATS | HOTEL/LODGING
 
The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team will travel to Emporia, Kan., to take on the Emporia State Hornets in a three-game MIAA series beginning Friday.
 
The Bearcats (10-5 overall, 2-1 MIAA) won its third straight series to open the 2026 season by taking two of three against Fort Hays State to begin MIAA play. The Hornets (12-1 overall, 3-0 MIAA) started league play with a three-game sweep at Arkansas-Fort Smith. ESU has won six straight games entering this week's action.
 
ESU holds a 67-47 lead in the all-time series with Northwest in baseball. The Bearcats swept the Hornets last season in Maryville (W, 10-6; W, 12-5; W, 8-5) to close out the 2025 regular season. It was Northwest's first season series win over ESU since 2019.
 
Northwest has scored series wins over Arkansas-Monticello, Colorado State-Pueblo and Fort Hays State.
 
Northwest is 4-1 in one-run games. The Bearcats have outscored the opposition 17-3 in the eighth and ninth innings this season.
 
Northwest has hit an MIAA-best 17 home runs, which ranks tied for No. 17 in the nation. Eight different Bearcats have hit round-trippers through the first 15 games. Frank Gall and Jeremiah Cabuyaban are tied for the team lead with four homers.
 
Northwest ranks No. 3 in the nation in batters hit by pitches (39).
 
NCAA Div. II Hit By Pitch Team Leaders
1. Lander                     55
2. Angelo St.               41
3. Northwest Mo. St.  39
4. Montevallo              37
    Saint Leo                 37
6. USC Aiken             36
7. Barry                       34
8. Regis                       33
9. Central Oklahoma   32
    Emporia St.             32
 
Through 15 games, the Bearcats are batting .302. Northwest has five starters batting .300 or higher this season (Jeremiah Cabuyaban - .434; Michael Good - .370; Parker Griffith – .357; Frank Gall - .354; John Connors - .321).
 
Senior Jeremiah Cabuyaban leads the squad in batting (.434), OPS (1.351), hits (23), doubles (6) and on-base percentage (.577) … he has reached base in all 15 games … he ranks No. 17 in the nation in total bases (42), which is second in the MIAA … he ranks tied for No. 27 in the nation in doubles (6) … he has a team-high seven multi-hit games … posted three multi-RBI contests … recorded four RBIs and two home runs against CSU Pueblo (Feb. 16)… Achieved a 4-for-4 performance with three RBIs and two doubles against CSU Pueblo (Feb. 14)… Combined series stats against Southwestern Oklahoma State with five hits, including a home run and a double, and six RBIs (Feb. 1-2)… Hit a home run and contributed one RBI against Arkansas-Monticello (Feb. 6)… Registered three hits against Fort Hays State (Feb. 20).
 
Senior transfer Frank Gall is hitting .354 with a 1.057 OPS. Gall tops the team in home runs (5), RBI (21), runs scored (17), stolen bases (9) and hits (23) … has five multi-hit games and a team-best five multi-RBI contests … Hit by pitch six times, contributing to on-base presence… Delivered a standout performance against Arkansas-Monticello (Feb. 06) with four hits, six RBIs, and a home run… Added two more hits and a home run against Fort Hays State (Feb. 19) with four RBIs… Recorded season-high four hits in a game against Fort Hays State (Feb. 19)… Registered three stolen bases in the same game against Arkansas-Monticello (Feb. 06)… Contributed significantly in a series against Southwestern Oklahoma State (Feb. 01-02) with five RBIs and one home run… Achieved two hits, including a home run, against CSU Pueblo (Feb. 14)… Managed 38 putouts and two assists, maintaining solid defensive play.
 
Junior shortstop Wilmer Jimenez is riding a six-game hitting streak and is batting .281. Seven of his 16 hits have been for extra bases – three doubles, two triples and two home runs … has two multi-hit games … has four multi-RBI games … one of three Bearcats to have reached base in all 15 games (Jeremiah Cabuyaban, John Connors) … Achieved season-high three hits, including a triple and two stolen bases, against Fort Hays State (Feb. 20)… Posted a home run and three RBIs vs. Southwestern Oklahoma State (Feb. 1)… Combined two hits with two RBIs in the series sweep over Southwestern Oklahoma State (Feb. 2)… Contributed significantly in the field with 34 assists, leading the team in this category… Also led the team in fielding with six double plays and 27 assists … Registered two RBIs and a hit in the game against Fort Hays State (Feb. 19)… Hit a double with two hits in the game against Arkansas-Monticello (Feb. 7)
 
Junior John Connors has drawn a team-best 15 walks and is batting .321 … Connors has notched 18 hits, scored 13 runs and driven in 10 … has four multi-hit games … has three multi-RBI games … one of three Bearcats to reach base in all 15 games (Wilmer Jimenez, Jeremiah Cabuyaban) … Perfect 5-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs against Fort Hays State (Feb. 19)… Posted two hits and two RBIs in a series against Arkansas-Monticello (Feb. 7)… Recorded three hits, including a double, and two runs in the series against Arkansas-Monticello (Feb. 6)… Tallied two hits and two RBIs in a win over Southwestern Oklahoma State (Feb. 2)… Logged eight putouts against CSU Pueblo (Feb. 13).
 
Junior Jordi Ventura is hitting .293 with 17 hits and nine runs scored … has ripped three doubles and a homer … has six multi-hit games … has three multi-RBI games … Registered two hits and three RBIs against Arkansas-Monticello on February 6… Achieved three hits, including a double, against Arkansas-Monticello on February 7… Tallied two hits and two RBIs against CSU Pueblo on February 15… Collected two hits, two RBIs, and one stolen base against Fort Hays State on February 20… Recorded six putouts in the same game.
 
Junior Chester Brooks is tied for the team lead with six doubles … ranks second on the team with 14 walks … Brooks is batting .255 with 13 hits, 11 runs scored and 7 RBI … he is 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts … has two multi-hit games … is riding a three-game hitting streak entering the Emporia State series … has reached base in seven consecutive games … Achieved a .667 slugging percentage during a standout performance against Arkansas-Monticello with 4 hits and 2 doubles (Feb. 6)… Compiled 5 putouts in a game against Fort Hays State (Feb. 19)… Registered 4 fielding assists in a game against Arkansas-Monticello (Feb. 6)… Notched a double and an RBI in a series against Fort Hays State (Feb. 19-20)… Collected 3 hits, including a double, and 1 RBI against CSU Pueblo (Feb. 15).
 
Redshirt freshman Michael Good is batting .370 with 10 hits in 27 at-bats. Good has driven in four runs and has a .896 OPS … has three multi-hit games … riding a five-game hitting streak into the Emporia State series … Recorded a season-high two hits in multiple games, including against Arkansas-Monticello on February 6… Notched a triple against Fort Hays State on February 19… Scored one run and collected one hit in the win over Fort Hays State on February 20… Perfect on-base percentage with one intentional walk in the victory against Fort Hays State on February 19… Tallied one stolen base against Arkansas-Monticello on February 7… Contributed four assists and three putouts while playing second base against CSU Pueblo on February 14… Accumulated 15 fielding assists throughout the season.
 
Sophomore Logan Brasel earned the win in a 9-1 victory over FHSU … Brasel pitched six innings and gave up six hits and one run against the Tigers at Kansas City Kansas Community College … he is 1-1 with a 7.04 ERA and is tied for the team lead with 14 strikeouts.
 
Sophomore Jase Johnson is 3-0 in his six relief appearances … has tossed 13.1 innings with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP … has struck out 14 batters, which is tied for the team lead.
 
Sophomore Diego De Santiago is 1-2 with a save and a 2.08 ERA in six appearances … he has a 1.38 WHIP … he has allowed eight hits and four walks.
 
 
Junior Bronco Whitt is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in four appearances … he has thrown 7.0 innings and allowed six hits and one run … he has struck out five batters.
 
Senior starter Landon Wells is 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in 11 2/3 innings pitched … has struck out 13 and walked five.
 
Sophomore Leonardo May is 2-1 in his three starts with 3.00 ERA and a 1.83 WHIP.
 
Senior Ben Haug is 1-0 in four starts … he has a 9.58 ERA and owns a save.
 
Sophomore Gage Busby is tied for the team lead with 14 strikeouts … has made four starts and is 0-1 with a 9.45 ERA and a 2.48 WHIP.
 
Senior Brock Steggall was credited with a save as he pitched 2 2/3 innings of relief work in the 3-2 win over SWOSU … whiffed three Bulldog batters and allowed three hits and no runs in the save … it was Steggall's fifth collegiate save for the Bearcats.
 
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.
 
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