Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Junior outfielder Jacob Richardson hit a towering Grand Slam over the right field wall to cap an eight-run seventh inning and help Nebraska-Kearney roll past NW Missouri State, 16-5, Tuesday afternoon at Memorial Field.
 
With the new MIAA scheduling format, this was the first of three games against the Bearcats (13-10, 8-5) over the next three weeks. Today's contest ended after seven innings due to the 10-run rule.
 
UNK (12-10, 9-4) had some fielding adventures over the first three innings to allow Northwest to grab leads of 1-0, 3-1 and 5-1.
 
The Loper comeback started in the fourth thanks to a two-run double from redshirt freshman Pate Katechis (1 for 3, two runs) and an RBI single by junior second baseman Matt Salamon (2 for 3). Northwest had one of its four errors in this inning, making two of these runs unearned.
 
In the Kearney fifth, a Bearcat throwing error moved a Loper to third base. Junior third baseman Brent Kirsch (1 for 3, two runs & four RBI's) brought him home with his second sac fly of the day, tying things at five.
 
It was all UNK from there as they scored the next 11 runs. Senior first baseman Kyle Honeycutt (2 for 3, five runs) belted a three-run homer in the sixth with Richardson (Goddard, Kan.) pinch hitting to start the seventh.
 
The big inning featured five of the Lopers 13 hits with Richardson having a single to right to start things. He then promptly unloaded the bases, and ended the game, in his second at bat of the inning.
 
"We didn't field the ball cleanly and make plays early. We did do a great job of responding late," said UNK head coach Damon Day. "We got rid of their starter in the fourth inning and were able to wreak havoc on their bullpen. That's a recipe for success."
 
On the mound, Canadian junior Tanner Spencer didn't allow an earned run over 5.0 innings to pick up the win. North Platte senior Joe Smidt then allowed just one hit over the sixth and seventh innings.
 
"Tanner and Joe are the story of the day," said Day. "Tanner, for the defense we were playing behind him, kept just gutting through it. And then Joe came in and threw up some more zeroes."
 
Due to the impending weather, the UNK-Emporia State series this weekend has been pushed back to the usual Friday-Sunday format. Because of the Easter Holiday, all MIAA series are scheduled for Thursday-Saturday this week.