EMPORIA, Kan. – The Northeastern State baseball team earned a 7-0 upset victory over No. 20 Emporia State Friday night at Glennen Field.
 
The RiverHawks (20-15, 14-11 MIAA) handed the Hornets (26-11, 18-8 MIAA) their first shutout loss at home since March 16, 2014, which snapped a span of 63 games.
 
NSU also took down ESU starting pitcher Tyler Stubblefield (8-1). The Texas A&M transfer had yet to lose as a member of the Hornets until Friday. He allowed a season-high five runs and had his shortest outing of the year at just 4.0 innings. He struck out five and walked two, while also giving up six hits.
 
The RiverHawks struck early, when junior Dakota Woods belted a three-run home run in the top of the first inning. NSU added two runs in the fourth on RBI singles from seniors Justin Burgess and Gabriel Wurth that plated Woods and senior Charles Sims.
 
Senior Cody Begovich hit his team-leading 12th home run of the season in the seventh, and sophomore Michael Rhea scored in the eighth on an RBI double from senior Eric Kirkpatrick.
 
Woods finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Sims also had a pair of hits.
 
True freshman Zach Parish and junior Zack Hammock combined to throw NSU's first shutout of the year. Parish (5-2) tossed seven shutout innings against the vaunted Hornets. He struck out nine and walked five, while giving up just five hits. Hammock was perfect in the final 2.0 frames, striking out three and issuing no hits, walks or runs.
 
Dalton Wheat was the only member of the home team with multiple hits, as he finished 2-for-4 at the dish. The rest of the team was a combined 4-for-30.
 
Nathan Whitcomb, Tevin Renken and Cole Newell all threw in relief for Emporia State. Whitcomb did not allow a run or hit in 1.2 frames despite walking five. Renken conceded two runs on two hits in 2.0 innings. Newell tossed the final 1.1 frames.
 
The second game of the series is slated to begin at 1 p.m. April 17.

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