Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

JOPLIN, Mo. – The Northeastern State baseball team took a pair of contests from Missouri Southern State Friday evening at Joe Becker Stadium.
 
The RiverHawks (18-20, 14-16 MIAA) won the series opener 11-2 and secured the nightcap by a 5-3 margin over the Lions (20-18, 14-16 MIAA).
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE 11, MISSOURI SOUTHERN STATE 2 (box score)
A five-run third and a four-run seventh, coupled with a second-straight complete game from true freshman Ryan Helsley, aided NSU's 11-2 series opening victory. The RiverHawks outhit MSSU 10-3 and took advantage of seven Lion errors.
 
Evin Natick put the home team on top in the first inning when he stole home. He led off the game with a single, advanced to second on a balk and moved an extra 90 feet following a fly out from Logan Moon.
 
NSU used a pair of errors to plate five in the third, which began when true freshman Bryce Davenport singled up the middle to drove home junior Dante Broom. Davenport would later score on a fielder's choice RBI by senior David Weber, and senior Cody Robinson, Weber and redshirt freshman Caleb Hill also scored in the frame.
 
Missouri Southern State answered with a solo tally in the fourth, but the RiverHawks added two in the sixth and posted four in the seventh to pull away from the Lions. The final strike came from sophomore Cody Begovich, who hit a three-RBI double to left field in the seventh for the final three runs of the game.
 
Helsley used 106 pitches to pick up the victory and improve to 4-3 on the season. He struck out three and walked five, while only conceding three hits in his two-run gem. David Reese (4-3) was tagged with the loss after allowing seven runs (two earned) on eight hits in 5.0 innings. He struck out seven and walked just one.
 
MSSU's three hits were dispersed between three different batters, while Davenport and Broom both led NSU with two hits. Begovich drove home three and Broom scored three times.
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE 5, MISSOURI SOUTHERN STATE 3 (box score)
The home team again took a 1-0 lead after the first inning, but again the visitors were able to come from behind and secure a victory.
 
Natick walked to start off the second contest, and he stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. He later scored on an RBI groundout from Moon.
 
NSU had just one hit in the first three innings, but a leadoff single from Davenport in the fourth brought a sleeping giant to the plate. After hitting just one home run in his last 16 outings, Robinson sent a 3-2 pitch over the left center wall to put the RiverHawks on top for good.
 
Begovich tripled in the fifth and later scored on an RBI flyout from Davenport, and Robinson doubled and scored on a triple from Weber to give Northeastern State a 4-1 lead.
 
Missouri Southern State tacked on solo runs in the fifth and the sixth to get within one, but the NSU pitching staff did its job and kept the Lions from rallying. Senior Ryan Staggs added an insurance run in the top of the ninth on a single from Broom to reach the final 5-3 margin.
 
MSSU outhit NSU 9-8, and the visitors were led by two hits each from Davenport and Robinson. Matt Smith paced the Lions with a 3-for-4 effort, and both Moon and Natick finished with a pair of hits.
 
Freshman Bobby Sehgal (2-1) was credited with the victory after tossing the first 4.2 frames. He allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits, while striking out four and walking three. Junior Seth Hudson and senior Addison Williams were both used in reserve roles on the mound, and junior Bryan McClellan tossed the final 2.0 frames to collect his second save of the season.
 
Payton Walker (5-3) took the loss after conceding four runs on seven hits in 7.2 innings. He struck out four and walked one. Stephen Vaughn threw the final 1.1 frames and gave up a run.
 
The two programs will wrap up the four-game set with a doubleheader April 12 beginning at 1 p.m.
 
-GoRiverHawksGo.com-