Box Score

ST. CHARLES, Mo. – The Northeastern State baseball team came from eight runs down to defeat Lindenwood 17-10 Saturday afternoon at Lou Brock Complex in the first of a four-game weekend MIAA series.
 
The RiverHawks improved to 11-4 overall and 6-3 in the MIAA, while the Lions dropped to 6-12 on the year and 0-5 in the conference.
 
The game belonged to the home team in the first three innings, as a pair of Nathan Prindle home runs coupled with a four-run third frame helped give LWU an early 8-0 lead.
 
Back-to-back doubles from senior Preston Cash and junior Cody Begovich in the top of the fourth sparked an eight-run frame that tied the contest at 8-8. NSU burned through three Lindenwood pitchers in the inning, while receiving a two-RBI single from senior Tyler Wilkins and a game-tying three-RBI double from Begovich.
 
Sophomore Bryce Davenport gave the RiverHawks their improbable first lead of the game in the top of the fifth when he belted a two-RBI double that plated junior Gabriel Wurth and sophomore Jared Aschbrenner.
 
The visitors added insurance runs in the seventh and eighth, respectively, and then left no doubt by bringing five more runs home in the top of the ninth. Lindenwood scored just two runs in the final six innings.
 
NSU posted a season-high 21 hits, while LWU had 17 and a pair of errors.
 
Cash tied his career-high of four hits to lead the RiverHawks at the plate. He went 4-for-6 and scored three times. Wurth, Davenport and Aschbrenner all went 3-for-5. Wurth recorded two runs batted in and scored three times. Davenport finished with three RBI, and Aschbrenner had two RBI and two runs scored. Begovich finished 2-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored.
 
Senior Clay Debban (1-0) earned the win on the mound after throwing 2.0 innings of relief duty. He allowed just one run on two hits. Senior Kyle Shambaugh started the game and was pulled after 3.0 frames. He gave up the first eight runs on nine hits, while striking out four and walking two. Sophomore Zack Hammock did not allow a run in 2.2 innings of relief, and senior Hayden Walch picked up his first save of the year and the third of his career after allowing one run on two hits in the final 1.1 innings.
 
Will Spitzfaden started for the Lions and lasted 3.1 innings. He gave up five runs on six hits, while picking up a no-decision. Brennan Hehner did not register an out, while conceding three runs on just one hit. Devin Breihan (1-1) was saddled with the loss after lasting 2.2 frames. He gave up two runs on five hits. Connor Law relieved Breihan and conceded seven runs on nine hits.
 
Wes Degener, Wade Rothermich, Drew Quinones and Mike Wilson all had three hits for Lindenwood. Degener tallied four RBI, while Rothermich and Wilson both scored twice. Prindle finished with three runs batted in and two runs scored.
 
The series is scheduled to continue with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. March 15.
 
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