TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State baseball team picked up an 8-7 victory over Washburn in the series opener between the two clubs Friday afternoon at Rousey Field.
 
The RiverHawks (8-6, 2-2 MIAA) outhit the Ichabods (6-6, 2-2 MIAA) 12-5 and moved to 5-0 at home this season.
 
Leading the charge at the plate were seniors Eric Kirkpatrick and Justin Burgess, along with junior Bryce Davenport. All three finished with two hits. Kirkpatrick recorded his team-high third home run of the season, while also driving in three runs and scoring twice. Davenport also scored twice.
 
The first runs of the game came in the bottom of the third after the two starting pitchers were untouchable through the opening frames.
 
Redshirt freshman Zane Takhar led off the third with a walk and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. He later scored on a two-out double from junior Dakota Woods to give Northeastern State an early 1-0 lead. The hit from Woods was misjudged in the air by the right fielder and allowed the RiverHawks to keep the inning alive.
 
Davenport singled to push Woods to third, and Kirkpatrick stepped to the plate and bashed a 0-1 count over the left-field wall for the 4-0 advantage.
 
Washburn answered with two runs in the fourth and a singular tally in the third, but the visitors then took a 7-5 lead after plating four runs of their own in the top of the sixth. Kyle Carnahan hit a two-run HR to tie proceedings, and Payton Soicher gave the Ichabods a 6-5 lead on a sacrifice fly. Before the inning was over, WU added an insurance run on an error to push its lead to 7-5.
 
Senior Gabriel Wurth hit his first-career home run in the bottom of the sixth to cut the deficit in half, and the RiverHawks were able to score twice in the seventh to take the lead for good.
 
Kirkpatrick led off the frame with a double, and he tied the game thanks to an RBI single from senior Charles Sims. The game-winning run was scored later by Sims on a sacrifice fly from senior Cody Begovich.
 
Junior Thomas Murray pitched the final two innings and did not allow a hit to collect his NCAA-leading fifth save of the season. True freshman James Cowell (1-0) registered the final out of the seventh to earn his first-career victory on the mound.
 
Junior Jeremy Mansur took the rubber first and was awarded a no-decision despite leaving with a 7-5 deficit. He allowed seven runs (four earned) on five hits in 5.1 innings pitched. He struck out four and walked two.
 
Washburn reliever Greg Mason (0-1) failed to record an out and was saddled with the loss after giving up the final two runs of the game on three hits. Starter Mike Hefferan conceded six runs on seven hits in 5.1 frames. He struck out six and walked two. Jaren Kutzke threw the final 2.0 innings for the Ichabods and struck out four, while only allowing one hit.
 
Carnahan was 1-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored.  
 
The two teams will continue their best-of-3 series March 5 at 2 p.m.

-GoRiverHawksGo.com-