TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State baseball team earned a 7-6 walkoff victory over Pittsburg State Tuesday afternoon at Rousey Field.
                                              
The RiverHawks (16-15, 10-11 MIAA) completed the season sweep over the Gorillas (6-24, 1-20 MIAA) by scoring five runs in the final two innings.
 
All three games between the two clubs were eerily similar, as NSU mounted huge comebacks in the final frames of all three tilts.
 
In the first meeting on March 22 in Tahlequah, Pittsburg State built a 12-7 lead after the top half of the seventh. NSU scored six runs in the final three innings to come from behind, which included a walkoff double from junior Bryce Davenport. The two clubs met March 29 in Pittsburg, Kansas, and the RiverHawks found themselves in a 6-1 hole after six innings. They went on to score three runs in the seventh and five in the ninth to post the 9-6 come-from-behind win.
 
In Tuesday's tilt, the Gorillas built a 6-2 lead after batting in the eighth. NSU scored three in the bottom of the eighth and two in the ninth to come back again.
 
Northeastern State took the early lead by scoring solo runs in both the third and fourth innings. Sophomore Austin Riley led off the third with a single and later scored on an RBI single from senior Eric Kirkpatrick. Senior Justin Burgess led off the fourth with a single and found his way home thanks to an RBI single from junior Derek Shedden.
 
Pittsburg State tied the game in the top of the fifth via an RBI double from Sam Falcon and an RBI groundout from Cole Brecheisen. The visitors then went on to score once in the sixth, twice in the seventh and one more in the eighth to build a 6-2 advantage.
 
NSU's comeback began in the home half of the eighth when Burgess led with a single and senior Cody Begovich and redshirt freshman Zane Takhar earned back-to-back walks to juice the bases with no outs. Senior Charles Sims drew a five-pitch RBI walk to plate Burgess, and junior Dakota Woods brought around Begovich on an RBI single. Takhar scored on a wild pitch to cut PSU's lead to 6-5 before the visitors were finally able to get out of the jam.
 
The Gorillas led off the top of the ninth with back-to-back singles, but the RiverHawks held firm and did not allow a runner to touch home plate.
 
Davenport singled to begin the final inning, and pinch runner Michael Rhea scored on a double down the left field line from Burgess.
 
Begovich was walked to put two on, and Takhar sacrificed himself to move both base runners into scoring position. The Gorillas intentionally walked Sims to load the bases with one out, and senior Jamie Graeser recorded the second out on an eight-pitch strikeout.
 
That brought senior Gabriel Wurth to the plate, who hit the first pitch he saw right to the second baseman. The ball went through the fielders' legs, which allowed Burgess to score the game-winning run.
 
Burgess finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored. Davenport was 3-for-5 in the contest.
 
Both teams had 12 hits, while the Gorillas finished with three errors.
 
Jacob Boylan paced Pittsburg State with a 4-for-5 effort at the plate along with a pair of RBI and runs. Andrew Vogelbaugh and Chase Kilgore both had two hits.
 
Junior Zach Poehl (2-1) was the last pitcher for NSU to take the mound and was credited with the victory. He threw 1.0 inning and gave up no runs on two hits. Junior Kyle Emmons tossed the first 4.1 frames and left after conceding two runs on four hits. Senior Jake Kern allowed one run on two hits in 1.2 frames, and junior Tyler Yancey, junior Zack Hammock and true freshman James Cowell also saw time on the mound.
 
Ty Rowe (3-3) was saddled with the loss after allowing two runs on two hits in 0.1 innings. Cooper Gardner started for Pittsburg State and left after allowing two runs on eight hits in the first 5.0 frames. Cort Lesmeister conceded three runs on one hit in 2.0 frames, and Drake Herrman and Nick Brandecker also pitched.
 
Northeastern State will remain home for a weekend MIAA series against Nebraska-Kearney. The first game will begin at 2 p.m. April 8.

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