ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Northeast Nodaway graduate Dylan McIntyre always had the dream of playing baseball for Northwest Missouri State. When that option wasn’t available to McIntyre in 2023 after graduating high school, that dream didn’t go away.

“I’ve always wanted to play at Northwest ever since I was little,” McIntyre said. “I knew I wanted to play college baseball. I’m super pumped to be back home around my friends and family.”

McIntyre took his opportunity to go the junior college route and accepted a spot at North Central Missouri College in Trenton.

His first year was an adjustment period, going from Class 1 baseball to the college ranks and McIntyre only pitched in eight games — pitching 15 2/3 innings and finishing with a 9.77 ERA.

The 3-sport standout from Ravenwood kept working in the offseason and was rewarded as a sophomore. He pitched in 15 games, slicing his ERA to 5.11 and finishing with 40 strikeouts and 19 walks in 37 innings. He finished with a 4-1 record.

“I’ve learned a lot from the guys and coaches and the experiences,” McIntyre said. “I won ‘Most Improved on the team’ this year at North Central. That boosted my confidence a lot.”

After that season, McIntyre had another decision to make and figure out where he’d be playing next. With the help of his Pirate coach Donnie Hillerman putting in a good word, McIntyre got the call he was hoping for earlier this summer with Northwest second-year coach Tony Jandron.

“It has definitely been a long time coming,” McIntyre said. “I wanted to go there out of high school, but didn’t get the opportunity. I’ve just been looking forward to going there and I finally came true. He gave me a call, we chatted, and he offered me a spot — and I took it.”

McIntyre has spent the last couple summers playing in the MINK Collegiate Baseball League as well with the Clarinda A’s, pitching against hitters from every level up to Division-I. He’s seen plenty of MIAA hitters in that league as well including some future teammates.

“It helps me a lot, getting a feel for it and everything,” McIntyre said.

The left-hander has made six appearances this season with three starts and has a 3.86 ERA in 21 innings. On Saturday, he came in for a struggling Noah Benavides who gave up seven runs in 1 1/3 innings, and McIntyre held the St. Joseph Mustangs to one run on three hits in 3 1/3 innings.

The game in St. Joseph also allowed McIntyre to facing Pirate teammate Truman Bodenhausen.

“It makes it a lot of fun,” McIntyre said. “I definitely do my share of talking, just to the guys I know. I’m not a big chirper, but I definitely like to give, like Truman and all those guys, a lot of crap during the game.”

In Year 1 under Jandron, Northwest (27-25; 19-17 MIAA) had its first winning season since the MIAA championship season in 2018. The Bearcats advanced all the way to the MIAA Championship Game and fell to Central Oklahoma.