RiverHawks Sweep Texans

STEPHENVILLE, Texas --- Northeastern State had a gutsy performance from four pitchers and made the most of just 10 hits Sunday as the RiverHawks swept Tarleton State, 6-4 and 5-1, in a Lone Star Conference baseball twinbill at Cecil Ballow Stadium.

The RiverHawks won their third consecutive game to improve to 3-3 overall and 2-0 in league play. Tarleton fell to 3-3 and 0-2.

Michael Houser pitched 4 1/3 innings in the opener and scattered five hits and allowed three earned run before being lifted in the fifth inning. Josh Walker gave up two hits and one run in 2 2/3 innings of relief to record his first save of the season.

Northeastern State took advantage of three Tarleton State errors to produce enough run support for Houser and Walker. After plating an unearned run in the first, Kyle Bayles led off the second with a single to left and later scored on a bases-loaded walk to Tyler Brewer. Eric McKinney reached on an error by the Texans left fielder to score three RiverHawks for a 5-1 cushion after two frames.

In the third, Houser struggled on the mound with a walk and back-to-back singles to load the bases. Tarleton made the most of its opportunity by scoring three runs on three hits, but left the bases loaded as Houser worked out of the jam for a 5-3 margin after three innings.

The RiverHawks added an insurance run in the fourth on another Texas' miscue. Chad Davidson got aboard on an error by the shortstop and scored when Angel Hernandez struck out on a wild pitch. He was awarded first base and Davidson came home to make the score 6-3.

Tarleton State attempted a rally in the sixth when it scored once. With the bases loaded and one out, Walker quashed the rally by getting a fielder's choice and a strikeout to end the threat.

Bayles had two of Northeastern State's five hits in the opener, hwile McKinney, Hernandez and Noah Ringenberger had the other three hits.

In the nightcap, Tyler Patterson tossed eight innings of four-hit ball, his only blemish coming in the Tarleton State eighth. Patterson was proficient with eight strikeouts and gave up only two walks to even his record at 1-1.

Ahead 1-0 with two outs the top of the sixth, Northeastern State scored three runs on two hits to put the game out of reach. Brandon Espinal walked between David Zavala's flyout to right and McKinney's groundout to the pitcher. After Bradley Brooks drew a walk, he and Espinal advanced a base each on a wild pitch and Chris Gallegos belted an RBI single to left to score Espinal. Gallegos stole second base before Taylor Clark's walk and Ringenberger delivered a 2-RBI single to right for a 4-0 cushion.

In the eighth, Tarleton scored once, and Chris Sprick's sacrifice fly with one out in the ninth inning added an insurance tally when Ringenberger scored to make it 5-1.

Keith Head pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the RiverHawks, but not without a little Tarleton fanfare. Head fanned the first TSU hitter then surrendered a single and the next hitter reached on an error to put runners on first and second. But, Sprick picked off Charlie Ulbricht at first and Christopher Patton grounded out to second to end the game.

The two teams will meet Monday for another doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.

Northeastern St (OK) 6, Tarleton State 4 (Game 1)
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Northeastern St... 140 100 0 -  6  5  1      (2-3, 1-0 LSC)
Tarleton State...... 003 001 0 -  4  7  3      (3-2, 0-1 LSC)
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Northeastern St (OK) - Michael Houser; Josh Walker (5) and Chris Sprick; Tarleton State - R. Salt; B. Greer (5) and A. Kapple. Win - Houser (1-0)  Save-Walker (1)  Loss-R. Salt (0-1) 

Northeastern St (OK) 5, Tarleton State 1 (Game 2)
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Northeastern St....001 003 001  -  5  5  1      (3-3, 2-0 LSC)
Tarleton State...... 000 000 010  -  1  5  2      (3-3, 0-2 LSC)
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Pitchers: Northeastern St (OK) - Tyler Patterson; Keith Head (9) and Chris Sprick; Tarleton State - C. Molloy; B. Greer (7) and M. Jeffery. Win-(1-1)  Loss-C. Molloy (0-1)