Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State baseball team split a doubleheader with Lindenwood University Sunday afternoon at Rousey Field.
 
The RiverHawks (6-9, 3-7 MIAA) took the seven-inning opener 7-4 before the Lions (4-10, 2-4 MIAA) run-ruled NSU 21-2 in the nightcap.
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE 7, LINDENWOOD 4 (box score)
The series opener began as a pitcher's duel, with neither team touching home plate in the first three innings. Lindenwood did not pick up its first hit until the fifth inning, and it was the RiverHawks who would strike first.
 
Senior Cody Robinson hit a one-out double to center field, and fellow senior Kyle Singleton tripled to center to put NSU on top 1-0. Senior Ryan Staggs singled to center to bring home Singleton, and he later scored on a single up the middle from senior Mitch Stevenson.
 
Lindenwood brought three home in the top of the sixth to tie the score, but the RiverHawks answered with four in the home half of the frame to earn the series-opening victory.
 
Junior Kyle Shambaugh earned a no-decision after conceding three runs on three hits in 5.0 innings. He walked five and struck out just one. Freshman Zack Hammock recorded the first two outs of the sixth, and senior Addison Williams (1-0) picked up the final out of the frame to earn the win on the mound. Freshman Bryce Davenport gave up three hits and a run in the top of the seventh, but he was able to close out the game for NSU.
 
Staggs was the only member of the team to collect more than one hit, as he finished 2-for-4. The RiverHawks outhit the Lions 10-7.
 
Zac Pearman (1-2) was saddled with the loss for Lindenwood after conceding four runs on seven hits across 5.2 frames. LWU needed three relievers to register the final out of the sixth.
 
LINDENWOOD 21, NORTHEASTERN STATE 2 (box score)
The second game of the series started off on a high note for Northeastern State and slowly turned into a historic rout for the visitors.
 
Robinson hit his sixth home run of the season in the bottom of the first, but the Lions moved ahead 3-1 in the third. LWU then plated two more in the fourth and added a sixth run in the fifth for insurance.
 
Then came the historic seventh inning, where Lindenwood exploded for 15 runs on just 10 hits. The run total was the most NSU has ever allowed in a single inning during the school's NCAA history (since 1997). Northeastern State responded with just one run in the home half of the seventh, and the game was called off due to the run rule.
 
Freshman Ryan Helsley (0-2) earned his first-career start on the mound and was tagged with five runs on six hits in 3.1 innings. Freshman Bobby Sehgal then conceded six runs in 3.0 innings, and sophomore Dakota Daniels allowed 10 unearned runs on just five hits in the seventh. He was only able to record one out.
 
Lindenwood finished with 18 hits. Jerry Roam led the way with a 5-for-5 effort. He scored three times and drove home two. Kyle Leslie was only 1-for-5, but he made his one hit count with a grand slam in the seventh.
 
The 21 runs conceded and the 19-run loss were both the worst for Northeastern State since losing 25-3 to Henderson State on April 21, 2012.
 
NSU dropped the middle game against Lindenwood 20-8 in last year's three-game set, but the RiverHawks captured the series after winning the other two games.
 
Northeastern State and the Lions will complete the series with a doubleheader beginning at noon March 10.
 
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