Wildcats Fall in Playoff Heartbreaker to No. 20 Pikeville, 42-35 in NAIA FCS First Round

BALDWIN CITY – Despite scoring 35 points in three quarters, No. 13 Baker couldn't match a fourth-quarter touchdown from No. 20 Pikeville, falling to the Bears, 42-35 in the NAIA FCS First Round on Saturday and bringing the Wildcats' 2024 season to an end.

After trailing by seven at the half, BU scored a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter to take a 35-28 lead, but the Bears scored 14 unanswered points and forced back-to-back interceptions on Baker's final two series to come away with the first-round upset.

In a game featuring Pikeville's high-scoring offense and Baker's top-tier defense, the Bears got the better end of things in this one with over 550 yards of offense (552) and tagging the BU defense for 42 points - the most points they've given up all year.

Sam Heggemann and Wildcats offense went toe-to-toe with a UPike team that put up a whopping 90 points in the regular-season finale. Heggemann finished with over 232 yards passing and three touchdowns, while adding 77 yards with his legs.

Adrion Seals had himself an electric day with four catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns with both of his scores coming on huge plays of over 50 yards.

The playoff shootout opened up with four straight touchdowns with Baker kicking things off with a 13-play scoring drive on the game's first possession. Heggemann plowed his way forward to punch one in from six yards out to make it a 7-0 lead for BU.

After the Bears scored on their opening drive, Heggemann found Seals slipping behind the UPike secondary and the freshman from Eudora, Kan. took it all the way in for a 51-yard score to put the 'Cats back on top.

UPike held serve on its next trip down the field, tying the game at 14-14 early in the second quarter before stopping BU on 4th-and-short to gain the advantage. The Bears capitalized with their third straight touchdown to take their first lead of the game.

With less than three minutes remaining in the half, Heggemann linked up with Seals again, finding him streaking down the middle of the field for a 57-yard touchdown this time to make it a 21-20 lead for the Wildcats.

The explosive first half wasn't done there though as Pikeville scored with six seconds left and converted the two-point conversion to go into the break with a 28-21 lead.

Baker got a huge lift from its defense right off the bat in the second half with PJ McCallop Jr. picking off a pass on the second play. The Wildcats turned around and tied the game yet again with Cole Fisher scoring on a short goal line burst.

After the defense forced a punt, Heggemann orchestrated a nice drive with Fisher and Gaige Warren mixing in a couple of nice runs. Heggemann tossed his third touchdown pass of the afternoon, delivering a strike to Maveryk Becker to push Baker back in front, 35-28.

Pikeville responded to knot the game in the closing minutes of the third quarter with the third and final touchdown pass from their starting gunslinger Lee Kirkland.

With the score tied, 35-35, the Bears intercepted a pass on the first play of the decisive fourth quarter and followed it up with a go-ahead touchdown to take a 42-35 lead with 12:10 left in the game.

Then, things got a bit frantic in an action-packed finale with the Wildcats getting stuffed on another fourth-down play, followed by a missed Bears field goal and then each side forcing an interception with Cameron Porter picking off a pass to give the ball back to BU with 1:05 remaining.

UPike came down with one final interception to seal the upset and hand Baker its only loss at home this year.

The Wildcats finish off a 2024 season that saw them win nine games (9-2), earn a share of the Heart South title and reach the NAIA FCS all for the second straight year. BU went 5-1 in conference play and forced a three-way tie for the league championship after defeating MidAmerica Nazarene, 20-14 on the road in the second-to-last game of the regular season.

Baker had 12 players receive All-Heart South honors with junior linebacker Zac Kramer being named the 2024 Heart South Defensive Player of the Year. Defensive coordinator Tucker Pauley earned his second straight Heart South Assistant Coach of the Year award.

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