TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State baseball team posted a 6-4 victory over Nebraska-Kearney Friday afternoon to open a weekend MIAA series at Rousey Field.
 
The RiverHawks (17-15, 11-11 MIAA) snapped a six-game losing streak in weekend games and also moved back to .500 in league play. The Lopers dropped to 13-18 overall and 10-12 in the conference.
 
NSU narrowly outhit UNK 8-7 and had two errors on the day to zero from the visitors.
 
Senior Charles Sims had a pair of hits for the green and white, while senior Cody Begovich had the final three RBI of the day.
 
Northeastern State was the first to score as the home team sent two across home plate in the bottom of the third. Sims scored on an RBI sacrifice fly from senior Gabriel Wurth, and senior Justin Burgess later scored on a sacrifice bunt attempt from senior Shane Bridges.
 
The Lopers quickly answered when Tanner Kirkpatrick and Matt Salamon both had RBI singles in the fourth. The visitors took a 4-2 lead in the top half of the fifth on a two-run home run from Dallas Schramm.
 
That lead would stand until NSU was finally able to respond in the bottom of the seventh.
 
After Burgess grounded out to start the inning, Wurth walked, Bridges was hit by a pitch and junior Bryce Davenport walked to fill up the bases and force a pitching change.
 
Junior Dakota Woods drew a two-out RBI walk to pull the RiverHawks to within one run, and Begovich hit a bases-clearing double that would end up becoming the game-winning hit.
 
UNK loaded the bases in the eighth but failed to score, and the visitors were sat down in order in the ninth to clinch the victory for Northeastern State.
 
True freshman Zach Parish started on the mound and registered a no-decision after conceding four runs (two earned) on four hits in 5.0 innings. He struck out three and walked three. Junior Zack Hammock (3-1) was lights out in the final 4.0 frames to earn the victory. He did not give up a run on three hits, while striking out four and walking one.
 
Schramm and Kirkpatrick had two hits each to lead the Lopers. Schramm had two RBI on his home run and Josh Estrada scored twice despite finishing 0-for-4 at the plate.
 
Joe Smidt got the start and left after giving up two runs on six hits in 4.0 innings. Chris Sievers (3-2) did not give up a hit in 2.2 innings of relief duty, but he was tattooed with the loss after allowing three runs. He walked three and struck out just two. Chayse Gulzow threw the final 1.1 frames and allowed one run on two hits.
 
The two teams will continue the weekend series at 2 p.m. April 9 from Rousey Field. The series finale has been moved up one hour and will now begin at noon April 10.
 
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