Northwest tied for 5th in MIAA standings

Northwest is presently 5th in MIAA standings

Maryville, Mo. - Following Tuesday's game versus Nebraska-Kearney, your Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats baseball team has an overall record of 17-14, 12-9 MIAA in this 2016 NCAA season. The Bearcats are in a tie for 5th place with Missouri Southern and Central Oklahoma. This season, the top 8 teams will have the opportunity to play in the MIAA baseball post-season tournament held at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. The Bearcats are looking to make the post-season tournament for the first time since the 2010 NCAA season. Here are the current standings according to themiaa.com:

2016 Baseball Standings

SCHOOL	CONF	CPCT.	OVERALL	PCT.	STREAK
Central Missouri	18-3	0.857	20-8	0.714	W9
Emporia State	17-4	0.810	25-7	0.781	W4
Washburn	14-7	0.667	19-12	0.613	W5
Missouri Western	13-8	0.619	21-11	0.656	L3
Missouri Southern	12-9	0.571	22-9	0.710	L1
Central Oklahoma	12-9	0.571	20-12	0.625	W1
Northwest Missouri	12-9	0.571	17-14	0.548	L1
Southwest Baptist	11-10	0.524	16-15	0.516	W1
Northeastern State	10-11	0.476	16-15	0.516	W1
Fort Hays State	10-11	0.476	16-16	0.500	L1
Nebraska Kearney	10-11	0.476	13-17	0.433	W1
Lindenwood	7-14	0.333	13-16	0.448	L1
Pittsburg State	1-20	0.048	6-24	0.200	L10
Lincoln	0-21	0.000	1-30	0.032	L23

Despite the loss to UNK in Game 3 on Tuesday your Northwest Bearcats are playing the best baseball after 21 conference games that they have been since the 2010 play-off season. The B2R dusted off the record books and looked at what the Bearcats conference record was after 21 games from the 2016 season back to the 2010 season. What the B2R found was the Bearcats baseball team steadily improving their conference record year by year. In total, your Bearcats are 1 game better than the best record they have had in that time span, to wit:

2016 - 12-9
2015 - 11-10
2014 - 11-10
2013 - 7-14
2012 - 8-13
2011 - 7-14
2010 - 6-15

During that magical 2010 season, your Northwest Bearcats rolled off 11 straight conference wins following their 6-15 start and won 15 of their last 20 conference games.

In this season, Northwest is doing great but the Bearcats need to get back to their bread and butter (pitching and defense) to win baseball games. The Bearcats need to take pride in their defense. It has to be a priority to them to execute perfect defense as much as it is to hit a double or home run. The guys have fun gestures when they rope a double including waving their hands, shooting an arrow, money signs, crossbones, etc. The B2R wants to see that energy and excitement when they execute fundamental defense AND the spectacular defense. For example, I want to see a fist pump and a heck yeah when a Bearcat fields a slow bleeder with his bare hand and throws the runner out by inches with a frozen rope that hits the 1B in the chest. Celebrate defense like you celebrate doubles. If the Bearcats do that, I'm telling you right now to book rooms for St. Charles in May.

Pitching - The Bearcats aren't going to win track meets. The pitching has to keep opponents to 5 runs or less every 9 innings. Its not about "want to" because every Bearcat pitcher puts his heart and soul out their on the mound. But the Bearcat pitching needs to focus on keeping their pitches down at the knees and on the inner 1/3 and outer 1/3 of the plate. There is "hope to do" and then there is "can do." Bearcat pitching needs to saw bats, keep their pitches down, and keep the Cats in the game for 9 innings. The 'Cats have the ability to do it but they need to know they "can do" it.

This year's team has the talent, coaching, and mental make-up to make the play-offs. For the weekend series coming up with Southern, the team needs to get back to pitching and defense. It starts with a "can do" attitude and a celebration of perfect defense with the same excitement as hitting a double.

The opportunity is there, Cats. Go seize it.

Go Cats!!
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