MARYVILLE, Mo. — The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team plated five runs in the bottom of the first inning en route to a 12-6 victory over Pittsburg State University Friday (Apr. 1) at Bearcat Field.
The Bearcats (15-13, 10-8 MIAA) struck early with James Holler delivering a grandslam against Gorillas starter Cooper Gardner (0-1).
Pitt State (6-21, 1-17 MIAA) battled back to score three runs in the third and two more runs in the fourth to tie the game at 5-5. NWMSU responded with a run in the fourth, two runs in the fith, a run in the seventh and three runs in the eighth to pull away.
Ozzie Adams, Kevin Handzlik, Holler and Derek Meyer all posted three hits as the Bearcats compiled 17 hits in the contest. Jacob Boylan went 3-for-5 to pace Pitt State's 10-hit attack.
The two teams will resume their three-game MIAA series with a 2 p.m. contest Saturday (Apr. 2).