Box Score

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FORT SMITH, Ark. – The Northeastern State baseball team topped the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith 5-3 Tuesday afternoon at Crowder Field.
 
The RiverHawks (14-13) won their fifth in a row and crept above the .500 mark for the first time since the opening week of the season, while the Lions (13-13) had a four-game win streak snapped.
 
Northeastern State got on the board first in the second inning when a pair of singles from freshman Bryce Davenport and sophomore Cody Begovich plated senior Ryan Staggs and sophomore Andrew Walker.
 
The Lions answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame to tie the score at 2-2. Matt Turner singled home Brennan Rogers, and a fielder's choice from J.C. Baxley brought home Koby Chadick.
 
Davenport drove home junior Cayle Shambaugh in the top of the fourth, but UAFS again tied the score when a Rogers single brought home Mitch Huckabay in the bottom of the seventh.
 
After a scoreless eighth, Northeastern State plated two runs in the top of the ninth to take the victory. Begovich scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch after singling, stealing second and reaching third on a single from David Weber. Weber later added an insurance run on an error from the shortstop.
 
Junior Seth Hudson (1-0) picked up his first-career victory on the mound after tossing the final two innings. He only gave up one hit and no runs. Freshman Zack Hammock took the bump to start the contest and lasted 2.0 innings, allowing two runs on four hits. Freshman Bobby Sehgal pitched the next 3.1 frames and gave up no runs on just two hits. Shambaugh threw 1.2 innings between Sehgal and Hudson, and he conceded one run on two hits.
 
NSU outhit Arkansas-Fort Smith 10-9, and Weber led the way with a 3-for-5 effort at the plate. Begovich and Davenport also finished with two hits.
 
Four of the first five batters for UAFS had two hits each. Three members of the team had one RBI and the three runs were scored by three different batters.
 
Jordan Hammer (0-1) was the fourth pitcher used in the game, and he was saddled with the loss after conceding two runs on two hits in 1.2 innings. Gatlin Watson started for UAFS and lasted just 1.2 frames after allowing two runs on five hits.
 
Northeastern State returns to action March 28-30 with a four-game road MIAA series against Central Oklahoma.

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