Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The NW Missouri State baseball team had two big innings to beat Nebraska Kearney, 20-10, Friday afternoon in Maryville.
 
This was the first of a four game series. The Bearcats improve to 7-9 (5-4) while UNK falls to 12-8 (6-3).
 
Northwest, finishing with 17 hits, drawing 10 walks and getting hit five times, tallied 10 runs in the third and seven more in the fifth. Having five doubles and a triple on the day, the 'Cats also took advantage of five Loper errors.
 
Designated hitter James Holler (1 for 4) and right fielder Austin Wulff (2 for 6) each drove in three runs with catcher Derek Meyer 3 for 5 and nine hole hitter Paul Johnson 2 for 3 with three runs.
 
Starting pitcher Anthony Caenepeel improved to 2-0 by allowing six earned in six full innings. The lefty fanned six and didn't walk a Loper.
 
UNK did hit five homers in the loss, including ones by redshirt freshman Josh Estrada (Pasadena, Texas), sophomore Brent Kirsch (Papillion) and junior Connor Messinger (Niwot, Colo.). Estrada (2 for 2, three RBI's) and Kirsch (2 for 3, two runs & two RBI's) paced an 11-hit attack.
 
The teams will play a double header on Saturday