BOLIVAR, Mo. – The Northeastern State baseball team lost 5-0 to Southwest Baptist Thursday afternoon at Dodson Field in the first game of a weekend MIAA series.
 
The RiverHawks (12-8, 6-4 MIAA) registered four hits in the contest and could not manage a run for just the second time this season. The Bearcats (10-10, 5-5 MIAA) jumped on top early with two runs in the first and extended the advantage to five runs before all was said and done.
 
NSU's four hits were scattered between seniors Eric Kirkpatrick and Gabriel Wurth, junior Bryce Davenport and redshirt freshman Zane Takhar.
 
SBU's Jeff Bouchard was the only player in the game to pick up more than one hit, as he finished 2-for-4 with two RBI. Chance Wolfe also drove home two runs and Sean Murley scored twice.
 
Junior Jeremy Mansur (1-2) lasted just 3.1 innings and absorbed the loss on the mound for the green and white. He gave up five runs on five hits, while striking out three and walking four. Junior Zack Hammock threw 3.2 innings of relief and did not give up a run on two hits. Fellow junior Zach Poehl threw a perfect eighth frame.
 
Cory Borsh (2-0) went 8.0 innings and collected the victory after conceding just three hits and no runs. He struck out seven and walked two. Calvin Lovig threw the ninth inning and only gave up one hit.
 
NSU and SBU will compete in the second game of the 3-game set at noon March 18.

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