TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State baseball team lost 7-4 to Missouri Western State in the first game of a weekend MIAA series Thursday afternoon at Rousey Field.
 
The RiverHawks (14-10, 8-6 MIAA) lost for just the second time this season at home, while the Griffons (17-8, 9-5 MIAA) improved to 9-0 all-time against NSU.
 
MWSU jumped on top with three runs across the first two innings, and the visitors moved ahead 7-0 after just four frames. Northeastern State was able to respond with three runs in the bottom of the fifth after breaking up the no-hitter, but the green and white would score just one more run the rest of the way.
 
The RiverHawks finished with just five hits, while the Griffons tallied 10. Senior Justin Burgess had a solo home run in the contest.
 
Junior Jeremy Mansur (1-3) was saddled with the loss after allowing all seven runs. He walked four and gave up seven hits. Juniors Tyler Yancey and Zach Poehl combined to shutout Missouri Western State in the final five frames. The duo gave up just three hits, while walking six.
 
Orencio Fisher, Jeremy Alvarado and Ozzie Rodriguez all tallied two hits for the visitors. Rodriguez had two runs batted in. Landon Mason scored twice and Cosimo Cannella drove home three.
 
Richard Peoples (4-2) gave up three runs on four hits in 6.0 frames to earn the win. He struck out five and walked five. Weston Caindec tossed the last 3.0 innings and conceded just one run on one hit to collect his first save of the year.
 
The Griffons placed a runner on base in every inning they batted, while Northeastern State had four 1-2-3 frames.
 
The two teams are scheduled to begin the second game of the series at 2 p.m. March 25.
 
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