Apr 17, 2009

Houser, Colburn Shine in Sweep


TAHLEQUAH, Okla. ---  Michael Houser and Shay Colburn turned in two outstanding pitching performances to lead Northeastern State (OK) to a double-header sweep of West Texas A&M in Lone Star Conference action at Thomas C. Rousey Field here Friday afternoon.

 

The RiverHawks (19-28-1, 14-23-1) opened the day with a 6-1 victory over the visiting Buffaloes as Houser picked up a career high seven strike outs while giving up eight hits and one run in the complete game performance.  Houser moves to 3-2 on the year.

 

On the offensive side, Northeastern State got plenty of production from Joel Eusebio who was 2-2 at the plate and belted his 11th home run of the season in the second inning off the right field score board; Eusebio finished the game with three RBI.  Taylor Clark was 1-2 at the plate with two RBI, while Eric McKinney went 2-3 with a run scored.

 

In the nightcap, the Buffaloes jumped out to a 4-0 after two innings as RiverHawks starter Shay Colburn got off to a slow start allowing five hits.   Eusebio continued to have the hot bat igniting a RiverHawks rally in the bottom of the second with a lead off triple and scored the first run on an Eric McKinney sacrifice fly.  Matt Smith followed with a walk and Chris Sprick was hit by a pitch to put two runners on base.  Matt Huggard cleared the bases with a RBI double that scored both Smith and Sprick.  Brandon Espinal's single up the middle tied the game at 4-4 after two innings of play.

 

Colburn settled down after in the fifth after giving up runs in the third and fourth innings and set the Buffaloes down in order over the next three innings.  The RiverHawks gave Colburn a comfortable lead with a run in the third, three more in the fourth and Blake Neighbors three-run home run in the fifth gave Northeastern State a 11-6 advantage.

 

Northeastern State added a run in the seventh to push the lead to 12-6 as Colburn cruised into the ninth inning.  After recording the first out, he was pulled after eight and a third innings of work. He finished with eight strike outs. 

 

West Texas made a small run off the RiverHawks relievers, plating three runs in the ninth inning but was not enough as Chris Treibt picked up his second save of the year with a 12-9 victory.

 

The two teams will finish the series with another double header on Saturday afternoon beginning at 1:00.