Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State baseball team exchanged a pair of victories with Washburn Friday afternoon at Rousey Field.
 
The RiverHawks (22-26, 18-20 MIAA) secured the series opener 5-1, while the Ichabods (25-20, 22-16 MIAA) earned an 18-4 run-rule victory in the second game.
 
Due to a pair of losses by Northwest Missouri State to Pittsburg State, NSU remained in eighth place in the MIAA standings with two games left in the regular season. Northeastern State will play Washburn twice Saturday, while the Bearcats will meet the Gorillas in a Saturday twinbill.
 
NSU will earn the eighth and final spot for the 2014 MIAA Championship playoffs with at least one win over WU or one loss by NWMSU. If the Bearcats sweep Pitt State and the RiverHawks get swept by the Ichabods, then NWMSU will jump NSU and eliminate the RiverHawks from postseason contention.
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE 5, WASHBURN 1 (box score)
NSU used yet another dominant effort from true freshman pitcher Ryan Helsley to earn a much-needed series-opening victory. He threw 6.0 innings and fanned a career-high nine batters. He conceded just one run on five hits, while walking three to improve to 6-3 on the year. Helsley is 6-1 in his last seven decisions, and he is 4-0 with two complete games in his last four outings.
 
NSU got on the board first when junior Braden Brown crossed home plate in the bottom of the second after sophomore Andrew Walker reached on an infield error. Sophomore Cody Begovich then came up and belted a two-run homer to give the home team a 3-0 advantage.
 
Senior Kyle Singleton and freshman Bryce Davenport hit round-trippers in the next two innings, and the Ichabods could only respond with a single run in the fifth to complete the scoring.
 
Northeastern State outhit Washburn 6-5 and was aided by three Ichabod errors. Davenport and senior Cody Robinson paced NSU with two hits each. Wes Jones was the only visiting batter with multiple hits, as he finished 2-for-3 at the dish.
 
Freshman Zack Hammock relieved Helsley in the seventh and cleaned up the final frame in just nine pitches.
 
Brett Ash (5-2) was saddled with the loss after conceding all five runs (three earned) on six hits in 4.0 innings. He did manage to strike out four and walk just one. Drew Ridley tossed the final two frames for Washburn and did not allow any further damage.
 
WASHBURN 18, NORTHEASTERN STATE 4 (box score)
After getting that first win out of the way, the RiverHawks took a backseat to a Washburn hitting showcase that saw the visitors belt 22 hits and score 18 runs.
 
Corey Gragg led the way for the Ichabods with a 5-for-6 effort. Parker Gibson and Taylor Herrington both finished with four hits, while Kyle Carnahan was 3-for-3 with six RBI and one run scored. The six batters driven in was one short of the school record.
 
The RiverHawks answered with 12 hits of their own, with Walker and Begovich both finishing with three. Robinson was 2-for-3 with his 14th home run of the season.
 
Taylor Gentry (6-2) picked up the win on the mound after allowing four runs on seven hits in 5.0 innings. Greg Mason (2.0 innings) and Kenny McKee (1.0 inning) finished up the contest in relief.
 
Freshman starter Bobby Sehgal (1-2) lasted just 1.1 innings in a losing effort. He allowed seven runs (four earned) on five hits. Junior Hayden Walch threw just 1.2 frames of relief, but made his exit after allowing five runs (two earned) on six hits. Freshman Zach Poehl only gave up one run on four hits across the next 3.2 innings, and sophomore Dakota Daniels conceded five runs on seven hits in the final 1.1 frames.
 
The final doubleheader of the regular season will begin at 1 p.m. April 26 in Tahlequah.
 
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