Kearney, Neb. - Junior Ricky Muir recorded his fifth and sixth saves of the season, and the Nebraska-Kearney baseball team had two big sixth innings at the plate, to sweep NW Missouri State, 5-3 and 6-5, Tuesday at Memorial Field.

After playing its first 20 games on the road, this was the Lopers (13-9) home opener. The Bearcats, from the MIAA, fall to 3-18 on the season.

Fourteen of UNK's games this year have been been decided by three runs or less. Muir (Easton, Conn.) is one big reason the team has won a majority of those games as he is 1-0 with six saves and a 1.79 ERA.

In game one, the Lopers scored four in the sixth to erase a 2-1 deficit. The inning featured two hits, two Bearcat errors, two walks and a hit batter.

A sac fly from junior RF Patrick Oliver (Broomfield, Colo.) put the Lopers ahead and then an error by Northwest allowed junior catcher Mike Stamp (Persia, Iowa) to score an insurance run.

Northwest did put two on with no out in its half of the seventh but Muir recorded three straight outs, the last being a K, to end the game.

At the plate, junior 2b Jordan Mitchelhill (Melbourne) went 2 for 3 with a run scored in the leadoff spot.  Omaha junior Jake Kresse allowed one run in three innings of relief to pick up the win.

UNK led 4-3 in the second game after 5 1/2 innings. A two-run sixth featured an RBI double from junior OF Brian Chritz (2 for 3, two RBI's) and a sac fly from junior SS Blake Cover (1 for 2, three RBI's).

In the third, Cover hit his second homer of the season, a two-run shot, to give Kearney a 3-0 lead.

Northwest again got to Muir early in the seventh. Three straight singles scored a run and put runners at first and third with no out.

After a sac bunt scored another and put the tying run at second, Muir got a fly out to center and saw Bryce McCrary look at a called third strike.

Junior Austin Parker (Brighton, Colo.) earned his first UNK win by throwing four scoreless innings while freshman catcher Chandler Klute (Kearney H.S.) went 2 for 4, as did junior 1b Andrew Haake (Beatrice).

Weather permitting, UNK will play four RMAC games at Colorado Christian this weekend.