ARKADELPHIA, Arkansas - The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team capped a perfect weekend in Arkansas with a 9-2 triumph over Oklahoma Baptist.
The Bearcats extended their win streak to four in a row. Northwest (5-2) emerged undefeated from the three-day weekend stint, tallying wins against Henderson State, Ouachita Baptist and Oklahoma Baptist.
Bearcat starter junior Spencer Hanson struck out 11 in seven innings worked and allowed only two runs in earning his first win at Northwest.
The Bearcat offense came alive in the home half of the first Sunday, notching three runs and taking a two-run advantage over the Bison, 3-1. Senior first baseman Connor Quick notched a two-RBI double to right , scoring junior Jacob Pinkerton and senior Calvin Rudolph. After dropping the first out of the inning, sophomore outfielder Ryan Koski hit a deep, sacrifice fly to center field, bringing Quick across the plate.
Following a quiet second inning from both squads, Northwest went back to work in the batter's box, scoring five additional runs and extending its advantage to 8-1. With juniors Peter Carlson and Matt Gastner on base, sophomore Jordan Peck slapped a double to right-center field scoring Gastner and moving Carlson to third. Up next, Koski earned his second RBI of the afternoon, grounding out to second base and driving in Carlson from third. Keeping the runs coming, redshirt freshman Caden Diel drove in Peck from third on an infield groundout. With two outs and two men on, Rudolph notched a two-RBI double to left d, scoring Pinkerton and junior outfielder Donavon Warren for the fourth and fifth runs of the inning.
Oklahoma Baptist cut into the Northwest lead in the top of the fourth, scoring a run of its own and bringing the Bearcat advantage to 8-2.
The Bearcats added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning off a wild pitch and an error that allowed Diel to score and up the score to 9-2 over the Bison.
Northwest's defensive play kept Oklahoma Baptist off the scoreboard during the final five innings of play, earning its fifth win of the 2020 season and improving the overall record to 5-2. The Bison has the bases loaded in the ninth, but failed to capitalize.
On the mound, Hanson got the start for the Bearcats, dealing seven innings. In 29 batters faced, Hanson allowed just two runs (two earned) on three hits while striking out a team-best 11 Bison batters and earning his first win of the 2020 season. Junior Jonathan McIntyre and sophomore Alex Slocum also made appearances. The three combined to record 15 strikeouts.
Northwest will be back in action Feb. 13-16 as it competes in the annual MIAA/GLVC Challenge. The Bearcats will open the four-game stint squaring off against Maryville University Thurs., Feb. 13 with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m.
NOTES: Rudolph, Quick and Koski notched multiple-RBI games … Pinkerton drew a game-high three walks … through seven games, Northwest is batting .322 as a team.
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