TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State baseball team posted a 13-12 walkoff win over Pittsburg State Tuesday afternoon at Rousey Field in midweek Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association action.
 
The RiverHawks (14-9, 8-5 MIAA) won the first of a three-game series over the Gorillas (6-16, 1-12 MIAA) that will be contested over the next two weeks. The two teams will meet in Pittsburg, Kansas, on March 30 before returning to Tahlequah for the finale April 5.
 
The contest featured three massive runs that began with NSU pulling ahead 7-0 after two complete innings. Then, over the course of the next five frames, the visitors lapped the green and white and saw their lead swell to 12-7 heading into the bottom of the seventh. The RiverHawks would have the final laugh, however, as they crawled back to score the game's final six runs and earn the come-from-behind victory.
 
There were seven home runs belted in the outing, with NSU cracking five of them. Senior Eric Kirkpatrick hit a pair of homers, and he and junior Bryce Davenport led off the eighth with back-to-back jacks. Seniors Justin Burgess and Charles Sims also went yard.
 
Sims' opposite-field blast tied the game at 12-12 with one out in the bottom of the ninth. Senior Shane Bridges scored the game-winning run on a two-out RBI double from Davenport after Bridges reached base on a fielder's choice.
 
Davenport finished with a career-high five hits after going 5-for-6 at the plate. He also tied his career best with four RBI, while scoring three times. The last member of the team to record five hits in a single game was Trent Wilkins against Southwest Baptist on March 9, 2013.
 
Kirkpatrick finished 2-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored after hitting two bombs. This is the third time in 2016 that an NSU baseball player hit multiple homers in one game. Sims and senior Cody Begovich both had two hits, and Bridges scored three times.
 
True freshman James Cowell (3-0) earned the win on the mound after throwing a clean final 2.0 frames. He pitched to the minimum six batters and struck out two. The only base runner he allowed was on a walk, but he forced the next Gorilla to ground into a double play.
 
Junior Daniel Faulk took the mound first and lasted 3.0 innings to collect a no-decision. He conceded three runs on two hits, while walking six and striking out three. Junior Kyle Emmons threw the next 1.2 frames and gave up three runs on six hits, while fellow junior Zack Hammock toed the rubber for 1.1 innings and gave up three runs on four hits. Senior Jake Kern pitched the seventh inning and conceded three runs on three hits.
 
NSU narrowly outhit Pittsburg State 16-15. The Gorillas' hits were sprinkled throughout the entire lineup, as no member of the team had more than two hits but all nine batters registered at least one. Sam Falcon, Jacob Boylan, Andrew Vogelbaugh, Cole Brecheisen, Christian Arnold and Cooper Karlin all had two hits. Vogelbaugh and Arnold both hit home runs.
 
Nick Brandecker (1-2) was saddled with the loss after giving up the tying and game-winning runs. He conceded two hits in 1.1 frames. Max Sanborn started on the mound for Pitt State and was only able to record three outs. He gave up six runs on six hits in just one inning of play. Cort Lesmeister was the first reliever out of the bullpen and he was nearly unhittable for 5.0 frames. He only conceded one unearned run on just three hits, while striking out three and walking two. Drake Herrman and Cooper Gardner combined to give up four runs on four hits in just 1.0 inning.
 
Tuesday's game was the second time this season that Northeastern State hit five homers in a single contest (Lincoln, March 14).
 
NSU will remain home for a three-game MIAA series against Missouri Western State. The RiverHawks and Griffons will meet March 24-26 at 2 p.m., 2 p.m. and noon, respectively. MWSU is 8-0 against NSU since Northeastern State joined the MIAA in 2013.

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