Caenepeel, Pablo help Northwest baseball hold off Central Oklahoma
DAVID MERRILL/DAILY FORUM
Northwest Missouri State University’s Anthony Caenepeel delivers a pitch during the Bearcats’ 2-0 win over Central Oklahoma on Friday. Caenepeel finished with seven strikeouts and one walk in 8 1/3 innings pitched.
Northwest Missouri State University’s baseball team broke its five-game losing streak on Friday, and the Bearcats got back to their pitching and defense strengths to do so.
Northwest topped Central Oklahoma 2-0 to improve to 25-15 overall and 15-14 in conference play.
Nikko Pablo, who earned the save for the Bearcats, said it was great for the team to get back on track.
“It feels great,” he said. “It always feels good to get back in the win column. Now we just have to keep it rolling.”
Pablo entered the game with one out in the top of the ninth and runners on first and second. He struck out Anthony Alvarez, but Dayne Sommer, who singled in the inning, advanced to second, which put runners on second and third.
Pablo then struck out Kyle Miskovsky in five pitches to preserve the victory.
Northwest’s Anthony Caenepeel set the table for Nikko to get the save by throwing 8 1/3 scoreless innings and striking out seven while walking just one batter.
Northwest coach Darin Loe said Caenepeel had all his tools working like he usually does.
“He was spotting up to throw pitches for strikes,” Loe said. “He kept their batters off balance all game and did a tremendous job. We had lost five in a row coming in, so we needed a good outing, and he did a great job for us.”
James Holler provided the only two runs of the game thanks to a two-run home run to right center field in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Loe said Holler is another example of a guy who showed signs of breaking out of a slump.
“He was aggressive at the plate,” Loe said. “I think he’s been a little timid on his swings the past week or two. He just went up there and put a good swing on the ball and that’s all we needed.”
Holler is now hitting .275 on the season with a team-high 31 RBI and has four home runs. Caenepeel improved to 6-5 on the season with the win, and currently has a 3.17 ERA.
Pablo racked up his sixth save of the season.
Central Oklahoma coach John Martin said his team didn’t always capitalize when it needed to.
“We just have to keep playing hard and have a few bette at-bats,” he said. “We gave them a few extra opportunities, and we have to do a better job of that, but it’s a three-game series for a reason.”
Northwest takes on Central Oklahoma in Game 2 of the three-game set Saturday at 2 p.m.
DAVID MERRILL/DAILY FORUM
Northwest Missouri State university’s James Holler gets greeted by his teammates in the dugout after he hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning of a 2-0 victory over Central Oklahoma on Friday.
DAVID MERRILL/DAILY FORUM
Northwest Missouri State University’s Nikko Pablo (right) celebrates with catcher Jay Hrdlicka after Pablo struck out the final Central Oklahoma batter on Friday. He picked up the save and the Bearcats won 2-0.
