CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State baseball team dropped both games of a doubleheader to Northeastern State on Friday (Feb. 9) in a doubleheader at the Diamond Sports Complex. NSU won the two games by the scores of 5-2 and 2-0.
NSU 5, RSU 2
The Hillcats (4-2) struck first in game one, but the visiting RiverHawks (3-3) plated four runs in the fifth inning to get a 5-2 victory over the navy and red in game one.
Brendan Griffith put the Cats up 1-0 in the second inning on a double to the gap in left to score
Grant Farris.
NSU tied the score on a solo home run in the third inning before pulling away with four runs in the fifth inning. Two RBI singles opened the fifth-inning scoring and after an error allowed one run to score, the RiverHawks opened up the lead to 5-1 on another RBI single.
RSU tried to rally late in the game.
Blake Chiaramonte brought home one run on a single to left for a 5-2 score.
In the seventh inning, RSU had the tying run to the plate with one out, but back-to-back fly outs ended the game at 5-2.
Zack Mann finished at 2-for-3 at the plate.
Tim Luce, who was named the Heartland Conference Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday, started and went 4.2 innings. He gave up three earned runs on seven hits.
Landon Nealon came in for 1.1 innings and
Joey Lucas pitched the final inning.
NSU 2, RSU 0
In the nightcap, the RiverHawks scored two runs late to earn a 2-0 victory and a sweep in the doubleheader.
The game was a pitching duel between
Spencer Bivens and NSU's Ben Strahm.
Bivens, a senior from State College, Pa., allowed only three hits and one earned run in 6.1 innings. He posted seven strikeouts and only one walk, but suffered a tough luck loss.
Strahm gave up only three hits and registered 10 strikeouts in 8.0 innings, earning the victory. Nolan Sturgeon picked up the save for NSU going the final inning.
The RiverHawks gained a 1-0 edge in the seventh inning as a run scored from third base on a groundout to second. NSU doubled the lead to 2-0 in the ninth on a solo home run to left field.
RSU was limited to only three hits in the finale of the twinbill. Chiaramonte, Griffith and
Christopher Ford all went 1-for-3 from the plate.
The Hillcats return to action next Sunday (Feb. 18) at NSU in one nine-inning contest. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. in Tahlequah, Okla.
