Missouri Southern Holds Off RiverHawks

TAHLEQUAH , OKLA. – Missouri Southern State scored an unearned run in the sixth inning to break a 3-3 tie and added a two run homer in the seventh before holding off a 9th inning threat by Northeastern State to take a 6-3 win at Rousey Field Tuesday afternoon.
The RiverHawks are now 4-5 for the year and Missouri Southern evens its season record to 2-2.

Each club pounded out 11 hits in the nine inning contest with the Lions C.J. Maffei going five innings to get the win. The RiverHawks’ Frank Sprick in relief of NSU starter Brandon Compton took the loss, his first of the year.

Northeastern took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Johnny Dominique sent home Kerwin Childs, on a sacrifice fly to center field. Childs singled to center to open the inning and advanced to third base on A.J. French’s single to right field.

The Lions took a 2-1 lead in the third inning on two hits, a Jacob Taylor double, a C.J Matthews sacrifice fly that scored Taylor, who had moved to third on a ground out by Skyler Rawlins. Shayne Hoke, who had walked, scored on a Patrick Deao single for the 2-1 Missouri Southern lead.

Northeastern State in its half of the third scored two runs to take a 3-2 lead. Greg Jackson singled followed by a walk to Brandon Espinal. Eric McKinney then reached on an error by the Lions’ second baseman Vince Pironti, allowing Jackson to score.
Espinal, who moved to third on the error, then scored on a wild pitch by Maffei for a 3-2 RiverHawks lead.

Missouri Southern tied the game in the fourth with a single run, and then took the lead in the sixth, 4-3 on an unearned run. The Lions added two more in the seventh on a two-run homer by Deao, his first of the season for a 6-3 advantage.

The RiverHawks loaded the bases in the ninth inning but were unable to plate a run despite getting three hits in the inning, two bunt singles by Demetrius Terronez, Cale Replogle and a base hit by Eric McKinney.

NSU ‘s Compton went five innings giving up 7 hits, walking 4 and striking out 2 in getting the loss.