Series Preview - Fort Hays State

Fort Hays State University Tigers

The Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats baseball team will host the Fort Hays State University Tigers baseball team at Bearcat Field on the campus of Northwest Missouri State this Thursday, April 25, 2013.  First pitch is set for 1:00pm.  A double-header is scheduled between the two teams with a single 7-inning game followed by a 9-inning game.  The twin-bill against the Tigers in Maryville is the last time the Bearcats play in Maryville during the 2013 NCAA regular season.  Eight seniors will wear the home white Bearcat uniforms for the last time:  Student Coach Nick Crouse, Jacob Raffaele, Chase Anderson, Nathanial Horton, Eric Swain, Tyler Durant, Cameron Bedard, and JJ Baccari.

Fort Hays State enters the series with a 2013 record of 23-18, 19-17 MIAA (9th place in Conference).  Fort Hays is 10-12 on the road.  FHSU has won 7 of its last 11 games.  Offensively, FHSU is a beast with a team batting average of .353, on-base % of .417, stolen 70 bases in 89 attempts, and have a fielding percentage of .956.  FHSU has one starter batting .411 (Garland) with a .534 slugging percentage and a .467 on-base percentage.  FHSU has a second starter batting .398 (Miller) with a .534 slugging percentage and a .494 on-base percentage.  In total, FHSU has 10 regulars batting over .302.

Defensively, the Tigers are an average team with a .956 team fielding percentage and averaging 1.56 errors per game.

Pitching, the Tigers have a team ERA of 6.63 with the two primary starters sporting 5.05 (Ellison) and 5.97 (Davis) ERAs respectively.  The Tigers 3rd and 4th Starters have been by committee with 6 different pitchers receiving a start in a game.

Northwest has won 5 straight games after sweeping the Lincoln University Blue Tigers.  Offensively, Northwest has 3 regulars batting over .330 (Durant, Meyer, and Baccari) with 3 regulars sporting an on-base percentage of .416 (Huske, Baccari, and Abernathy).  As a team, the Bearcats are batting .290, slugging .427, are on-base .384 of the time, and have stolen 58 bases in 81 attempts. 

Defensively, Northwest has been really good this year with an infield of Baccari (C), Swain (3B), Huske (SS), Bedard (2B), Garber (1B), and have a team fielding percentage of .970, averaging 1.09 errors per game.

Pitching, the Bearcats have a team ERA of 6.36 with Ryker Fox being the team's Ace with his 4.19 ERA, 5-4 record, 46 strike outs and 25 walks.  Marcus Garrett and Rob Henrichs close out your statistical pitching leaders (4.59 & 4.28), respectively.

Team by Team comparison

                              NWMSU         FHSU
Batting Avg            .290                 .355
Slugging %             .427                 .512
On-base %            .384                 .417
SB/Attempts          58/81               70/89
Fielding %              .970                 .956
ERA                       6.36                 6.63

Go Cats!!
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