Northwest baseball salvages finale from Lindenwood

Playing at another neutral-site location, Northwest Missouri State ended a string of six straight losses and avoided a series sweep with a 5-4 win over Lindenwood in the finale of a three-game set Monday.

The Bearcats lost the first game of the series 11-5 Sunday night and dropped game two 7-4 Monday, ensuring a second straight series loss to open conference play.

Northwest is now 2-9 overall and 2-6 in the MIAA. Lindenwood moved to 4-6 overall and 4-2 in the MIAA.

The Bearcats took a 3-1 lead into the sixth inning of Monday's first game before Lindenwood scored three runs in back-to-back frames to lead 7-3.

Mike Falloni hit a game-tying two-run homer in the sixth and Colton Moore followed with a go-ahead shot, both off Northwest starter Ryker Fox.

Northwest scored once more in its final at-bat, but never got the tying run to the plate.

Fox (0-3) gave up five runs (four earned) over six-plus innings on only three hits and was charged with the loss. Reliever Tyler Barth gave up the final two runs in the seventh.

Lindenwood starter Zac Pearman (1-1) went the distance, allowing three earned runs on seven hits.

The Bearcats scored their first three runs off Pearman in the third to take a 3-1 lead. Cam Bedard drove in two with a double and Eric McGlauflin hit a sacrifice fly to center.

Bedard finished 2-4 with two RBIs and was the only player on either team with multiple hits. Eric Swain had Northwest's remaining RBI in the seventh.

In the series finale, Northwest jumped out to leads of 4-0 and 5-1 and held off a late-inning rally by the Lions to get the win.

With the tying run on base in the ninth, Northwest closer Nathaniel Horton induced a groundout to third by Moore to end the game.

Horton, who gave up a run and two hits, earned his first save of the season. Starter Marcus Garrett (1-1) picked up his first win, allowing two runs on four hits in five innings.

Chase Anderson worked three innings of relief and allowed just one run.

This was the first game all year in which the Bearcats have held the opposition under five runs.

Lindenwood starter Brendan Kleekamp (0-2) took the loss after being knocked out during Northwest's four-run opening frame.

Lindenwood's three-man relief corps held the Bearcats to one run on four hits over the last seven innings.

McGlauflin, Bedard and Charlie Krueger produced RBI base hits in the bottom of the first.

Bedard's was a two-run double that made it 3-0.

After Lindenwood got a run back in the second, Northwest regained a four-run cushion in the third on an RBI single from Alex Singleton that scored Krueger who hit a one-out double.

Northwest's 5-1 lead held until the sixth when the Lions scratched across the first of three straight runs. Lindenwood added single runs in the eighth and ninth innings to get within one before Horton closed it out.

Sunday's Results

SAUGET, Ill. – A late game rally wasn't enough for the Northwest Missouri State baseball team falling 11-5 to Lindenwood at GSC Ballpark in the first game of a three-game series.

Northwest falls to 1-8 on the season and 1-4 in league play as the Lions improve to 3-5 overall and 3-1 in the MIAA. The series was originally scheduled to take place in Maryville, but a late week snowstorm pushed the series to the east side of the state.

The Bearcats were forced to use four different pitchers after starter Blane Reutter was chased after five innings. Reutter allowed six runs on eight hits as Lindenwood held a 6-1 lead when the junior gave way to Pat Brady.

However, the Lions' bats were not finished adding three more runs in the sixth paced by a lead-off solo home run.

Trailing 11-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth, would chip away at the lead when Cam Bedard belted a two-run homer.

Northwest threatened to rally again in the ninth when a lead-off single from J.J. Baccari preceded a Eric McGlauflin homer to pull the Bearcats within 11-5. That would be the only offense the Bearcat offense could muster as the Lions' bullpen shut the door.

McGlauflin paced Northwest going 3-for-4 with three RBIs while Baccari also finished with a multi-hit effort going 2-for- 3 with two runs scored.