B2R Analysis - Western, Lincoln University, and the MIAA Standings
Your Northwest Missouri State Bearcats baseball team has played all of their games on the road so far this season and earned a 7-5 overall and a 4-2 MIAA record with all games being away from Maryville. As of March 4, 2014, your Bearcats are presently ranked 2nd in the MIAA baseball standings.
Offensively, your Bearcats are producing at a terrific pace with a .391 on-base percentage, a .411 slugging percentage, and a .304 batting average as a team. Northwest is averaging 7 runs per game, 2 extra-base hits per game, almost 5 walks/hit by pitches per game, and nearly 10 hits per game. There are two Bearcats batting .400 or above (Huske & Pomatto), with an additional four Bearcats batting .300 or above (Meyer, McLaughlin, Garber, and Abernathy).
Northwest won both games against Western despite the team's leading hitter, Brandon Huske, being out of the line-up. In the 12 games of the 2014 NCAA season, Brandon is hitting a remarkable .436, slugging .487, with a .489 on-base percentage. Jon Pomatto has had an exemplary start to the 2014 season. Pomatto is hitting .400 while starting every game in right field, slugging .650, leading the team with 2 home runs, and a .478 on-base percentage. Among your .300+ hitters, Northwest's #3 (Abernathy) and #4 (McLaughlin) have been producing at an ascending leveling with productive at bats. Ryan Abernathy has hit in the third spot and started all 12 games so far for the 'Cats in center feld. Abernathy is hitting .304, slugging .413, with a .377 on-base percentage. Eric McLaughlin has started all 12 games with most starts as a DH. McLaughlin has hit in the 4th spot all season and is built like a lumberjack. In 12 games, Eric has hit .326 with a .395 slugging and a .412 on-base percentage. Derek Meyer has produced offensively when he has started (2 spot starts) and is hitting .333 with a .333 slugging and a .429 on-base percentage. Steven Garber has been a steady and ascending offensive producer his entire Bearcat career. In 12 games, Garber is hitting .308 with a .385 slugging and a .438 on-base percentage.
Of the Bearcats starters batting below .300, Paul Johnson is hitting .279 and fourth on the team in slugging with .442 percentage and only charged with 3 errors (2 of which came in one game in the first week of the season in his first season as a starting second baseman, Austin Wulff is batting .263 and third on the team in slugging with .447 as a true freshman and tied with the team lead in home runs (2), Blake Hardegree, batting .241, but a .343 on-base percentage, in his first season as the starting catcher for Northwest, and Zack Ferreira, batting .256 as a true freshman, .341 on-base percentage, starting every game, playing at either third base or short stop (0 charged errors at either third base or short stop).
Defensively, your Bearcats have been steadily improving and are presently at a team fielding percentage of .968. In Northwest's two most recent games, your Bearcats were not charged with an error with true freshman Zack Ferreira starting at shortstop, Paul Johnson starting at second base, and Hardegree/Meyer each earning starts as catcher in the two games against the Griffons. Your Bearcats starting outfield of Wulff, Abernathy, and Pomatto, has been a terrific trio of offense and defense with superior fielding skills and flight to fly balls and each displaying a very strong and accurate arm with their respective throws. At catcher, Northwest has allowed 3 past balls (2 for Hardegree, coming in one series against Cameron University in the first week of the season, and 1 for Meyer against UNK). But for the initial rust of the early season, the catchers have played very well behind the plate.
Pitching, your Bearcats have seen Ryker Fox take the ball as the team's ace and Friday starter in an unassuming and workmanlike way. In four starts so far in 2014, Ryker has a 2-1 record, a 4.12 ERA, nearly 20 innings pitched and 17 strike-outs. One of Ryker's four starts came right after he became very sick and he gutted-out a performance that got the 'Cats deep into the game with a chance to win. Your Bearcats have seen the emergency of Hondo Pearcy as the team's #2 starter as a true freshman. Hondo is leading all starters with his 3.57 ERA and he is second on the team with 10 strike-outs. Hondo has appeared in 4 games with 2 starts. Austin Warren has been the Bearcats workhorse every season he has been at Northwest. Presently, Austin has started 2 games with a 5.79 ERA, nearly 10 innings pitched, and 6 strike-outs. Kole Klocko has came on as the 'Cats 4th starter and has a 1-1 record, 8.38 ERA, 2 starts and 3 appearances, nearly 10 innings pitched, and 4 strike-outs. Rob Henrichs has appeared in 4 games and 2 starts in 2014. Rob has had a tough start to the 2014 season but is working hard to get back in the groove. The coaching staff obviously think very highly of Henrichs as he started the season as the team's #3 starter.
Your Bearcats' bullpen has been fantastic in 2014 with 6 of 7 relievers pitching with a 3.00 ERA or below. Daulton Perry and Rob Schmiedt have been the 'Cats firemen putting out high leverage fires for the team in 2014. Daulton has tied for the team lead in appearances with 5, all coming from the bullpen, with a 2.45 ERA, zero walks, and opponents are batting a mere .154 against him. Rob Schmiedt is a firey competitor and also tied with the team lead in appearances (5). Schmiedt has came in extremely high leverage situations and performed very well. So far in 2014, Schmiedt is throwing a rediculous 1.59 ERA, 2-0 record, 5 strike-outs to only 2 walks. Speaking of ridiculous, three 'Cats relievers has a 0.00 ERA with Tanner Smith consistently dominating the opposition with 3 appearances, 3.1 innings pitched, and opponents are batting .000 against him. Jon Pommatto is the team's closer and has the 'Cats lone save in his one and only appearance. Pomatto also has 0.00 ERA.
A few thoughts about the Western series - the Bearcats won in two distinct and equally important ways. In the first game, the Cats came out flying and dominated the scoreboard. The Griffons scored a few runs late in the game to make the final score seem close. In fact, Northwest was leading 7-1 going into the final inning of game 1 and the Griffons hadn't scored any runs in that game since the 1st. If the 'Cats got the Griffons attention in game 1, the win in game 2 was more important to the team's 2014 future then game 1. In game 2, your Bearcats dug in and fought out a gritty victory against a very talented Western team. Make no mistake, whatever reason or reasons that kept Western out of game 1 were long gone in game 2. Coach Verduzco's team stormed back in game 2 with a 4-run 6th inning to close the game to 6-4 and then tie the game in the Top of the 9th. Your Bearcats didn't back down or wilt in the pressure in the Griffons comeback attempt. Northwest buckled down and scored a walk-off victory with Mr. Versatility himself (Garrett Fort) getting a base hit then moving to second on a failed pick-off attempt. With one out, true freshman Zack Ferreira had a productive at bat and advanced Fort to third base with a ground-out to 1st. Ryan Abernathy was then hit by a pitch and McLaughlin walked to load the bases for another true freshman, Austin Wulff, coming up with the big hit. There is video of the walk-off victory available on Facebook and its obvious the game meant a lot to the team. The 'Cats ran on the field to huddle around Wulff after his clutch base hit with plenty of smiles to go around. That's a team. Your Bearcats play and fight as a team.
A few thoughts about the Lincoln series - On paper, LU doesn't have the offense or pitching statistics like the Bearcats. The Blue Tigers have a lot of unknowns still to discover in 2014. Of all teams, the Cats will know unknown isn't necessarily a good thing for opponents (Exhibit A - Hondo Pearcy, Exhibit B - Austin Wulff, Exhibit C - Zack Ferreira, and Exhibit D - Blake Hardegree). The Bearcats have started out 2014 with a bang but this is no time to stop and be satisfied with what has been accomplished. The next series is upon them and mother nature has cancelled yet another mid-week tune-up game for the 'Cats (Rockhurst). The 'Cats will have plenty of pitching and the team's depth will be tested with the "new" 4-game weekend series format the MIAA re-implemented in 2014. Give me a team that pulls for each other, plays with an edge yet loose, with the mindset that they know and believe they can win, and I will take my chances against anybody.
Go Cats!!
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