Its 2018 & baseball season is around the corner

Maryville, Mo. - It is 2018 and your Bearcats baseball team's season will start in about 30 days. It may be single digits in the 'Ville but believe it or not the NCAA Division 2 baseball season is finally around the corner. What does 2018 have in store for your Bearcats? Only time will tell but here is a brief look into the upcoming season.

2018 schedule:

Your Bearcats will start the season on a 3-week road trip through Arkansas and Oklahoma commencing February 3rd. Northwest will play the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, Lyon College, Ouachita Baptist University, Henderson State, and Cameron University during a stretch from February 3-18, 2018.

Northwest's 2018 home opener will also be the MIAA Conference opener with a 3-game series against Emporia State in Maryville on February 23-25.

The Bearcats will then return to the road for a conference series against Fort Hays State in Hays, Kansas, on March 2-4. Northwest will swing through Kansas City to play a mid-week non-conference game against William Jewell on Tuesday, March 6.

Northwest then returns home for a weekend conference series against Northeastern State on March 9-11. The 'Cats will play a mid-week non-conference game against William Jewell in Maryville on March 14.

The Bearcats then return to the road to play Lindenwood in St. Louis on March 16-18 then swing through Kearney, Nebraska, to play UNK on March 20, then drive south to Topeka, Kansas, to play a weekend series at Washburn University on March 23-25.

Northwest then returns home for their longest home stretch of the season. The Bearcats will play Missouri Western on March 28, a weekend series Northern State on March 30-31, a mid-week game against UNK on April 3, and conclude the home stand with a weekend series versus the University of Central Missouri on April 6-7.

The Bearcats will then hit the road to St. Joseph to play Missouri Western in a mid-week game on April 11, 2017.

Northwest then returns home for a weekend series against Pitt State on April 13-15.

The Bearcats return to the road to return to Kearney, Nebraska, to play UNK in a mid-week game on April 17, then head South to Joplin, Missouri, to play Missouri Southern in a weekend series on April 20-22.

Northwest returns home to play Missouri Western in a mid-week game on April 25th then stay in town for a weekend series against Southwest Baptist on April 27-29.

The Bearcats conclude the 2018 regular season on the road in Edmond, Oklahoma, and will play a weekend series against the University of Central Oklahoma on May 4-6.

2018 team

Northwest has two of its 3 weekend starters returning in 2018 with Joseph Hietpas and Brad Roberts. It will be great to see who earns the 3rd weekend starter position this Spring. There were several quality mid-week starting performances by Bearcat pitchers in 2017.

Who is going to be Northwest's closer with Nikko's graduation? The bridge? The set-up? The situational lefty? Can't wait to find out.

The Bearcat outfield had two starters graduate after the 2017 season with Kolby Greenslade and Garrett Fort. Aaron Barratt returns after earning the starting right field position in 2017. It will be a wide open competition with good opportunities for someone to step up to earn the starting role.

Northwest's infield graduated 2B Ozzie Adams and 1B James Holler. It appears from afar that the infield may be stacked with high quality players in every position. High quality veterans, new guys, and guys finally healthy should give the coaches a great problem to have to put the best four cohesive unit on the infield.

The Bearcat catchers from 2017 were Alixon Herrera, Jay Hrdlicka, and Nick Howard. Herrera and Hrdlicka split most of the time at the position that season. All 3 players can hit with power with strong arms and tough mentalities.

2018 Coaches

There is a new graduate assistant coach for Northwest this season: Anthony Caenepeel. I'm very excited with this addition and what AC brings to the table from a coaching perspective.

It is finally 2018 and the baseball season is around the corner. Go Cats!!

Go Cats!!
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