Griffons pull upset despite Bearcats out-hitting Western
Anthony Crane/The Forum
Northwest sophomore Leonardo May celebrates Wednesday in St. Joseph.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. —The No. 29 ranked Northwest Missouri State Bearcats have had the number of almost every team they’ve faced this season. But Missouri Western has been that exception, taking down the Bearcats for the second time this season with a 7-3 win Wednesday evening at the Springs Sports Complex at Missouri Western.
The Bearcats scored 72 runs during their seven-game winning streak that snapped on Wednesday. And while the offense produced another 11 hits against the Griffons — 15 stranded runners kept the team from producing runs like it has over the last two weeks.
“You’ve got to capitalize on those opportunities for sure,” Northwest coach Tony Jandron said. “It’s part of the process, but when you only score three runs with double-digit hits up there, I’d expect our offense to put up more. But we have to give credit to Western and getting the job done by coming up with timely hits —it was the difference in the game.”
The Bearcats got off to a good start against the Griffons, starting with a leadoff single in the first from senior outfielder Frank Gall who sits second in the conference with 58 hits this season. Western retired Jeremiah Cabuyaban and Jordi Ventura, but a two-out single from Wilmer Jimenez gave the Bearcats the early 1-0 lead.
Savannah native Micah Diamond got the start for Northwest on Wednesday against his former team. Diamond cruised through the first, forcing three ground balls in the first.
Diamond found trouble in the second inning, allowing a leadoff single to David De Hoyos. The graduate transfer forced a fly ball to right field to record the first out of the inning but wasn’t as fortunate with the Luke Shannahan whose fly ball left the park to put the Griffons up 2-1 on his 10th home run of the season.
Gall’s day got even better in the top of the second, following Western’s lead with a home run to left field. The St. Joseph native came into the game swinging one of the hottest bats in the MIAA with 14 hits over his last seven games.
“I’m just sticking with the process and my routine,” Gall said. “I try to take everything I learned in practice, and I try and take that into the game. Trying to see the ball deep and hit it the other way and good things usually happen.”
Gall is just outside the top 10 in the MIAA with a .384 average. The Bishop LeBlond graduate also sits top five in OPS, runs scored, hits, and is now sixth in the conference with nine home runs.
“He’s a pure hitter and can hit it to all fields,” Jandron said. “He’s as good as the league has and we’re lucky to have him on our side. He’s a tough out and that’s why he anchors our lineup.”
Diamond’s command started to let him down in the bottom of the fourth with three Griffons hit by a pitch. With the bases loaded and two outs, Diamond’s day came to an end with the bases loaded.
Jeremy Evangelista came in relief of Diamond, forcing a ground ball to keep the game tied at two. The freshman from the Dominican allowed one earned run over two innings to continue a strong first season, striking out 10 while having a sub-three ERA.
The Bearcats took their first lead of the day in the sixth inning. Chester Brooks reached with a one-out single to center field, then Austin Marsh reached with a two-out single to left field. The two-out rally kept rolling with a Leonardo May RBI single to center to put Northwest up 3-2.
The lead was short lived with walks haunting the Bearcats in the bottom of the frame. After retiring the first two batters, Shannahan reached with a single to right field. The Griffons did the rest without the use of their bats, drawing three-straight walks to tie the game once again.
The Bearcats had their chances in the seventh and the eighth but stranded five runners.
“I’d like to say it’s just one of those days — one of those days,” Gall said. “We hit the ball well, but we’ve got to capitalize more when we have runners on and get big hits in big spots.”
Western’s big eighth inning proved to be the difference in the game. Northwest once again retired the first batter of the inning, but a double and hit by pitch quickly had the Griffons in scoring position.
Micah Kobuszewski drove in both runs with a liner into right field for a triple. De Hoyos and Jordan Austin each added an RBI single in the inning to give Western a 7-3 lead.
Western’s lead felt comfortable after striking out the first two batters of the ninth, but three-straight walks gave the Bearcats late life. The Griffons struck out May to end the two-out rally and drop the Bearcats to 26-10 on the season.
Northwest begins a big series tomorrow at Rogers State. The Hillcats sit atop the MIAA with a 31-5 record overall while going 19-3 in conference play.
The Bearcats will play tomorrow afternoon at three for the first of three games in Claremore. Rogers State is coming in off of three-straight wins that includes a series win on the road against No. 4 Central Missouri.
“Obviously, we’re looking to win every game we play, so that’s what I’m looking for this weekend,” Gall said. “If we stick together, rely on each other and know that whoever is up behind you has your back, then we should be good.”
