TAHLEQUAH – Northeastern State opened conference play with an all-around team performance in an 8-4 win over Northwest Missouri State on Friday afternoon.
 
Hunter Neal got more dominate on the mound as his pitch count crept over 100, he would strike out eight Northwest batters, with six of them coming after the third inning.  Neal (3-0) ended up throwing 131 pitches and started the ninth before walking the first three batters in the inning.
 
"It was gutsy performance [by Neal] who is a senior, that's what he is there for as our Friday night guy, and he has done it for us three nights in a row," said head coach Jake Hendrick.  "We look for a lot of the same to come out of him and to continue down that path to give us a chance to win each time he is out there on the mound."
 
The RiverHawks struck in the opening frame plating a run on a ground out and a Dakota Woods single.  After a scoreless inning, the Bearcats brought a runner home on a double play to get back within a run.  However, Northeastern State blew the door open in the bottom frame where they hit through the order to score five runs to go up 7-1.  Jordan Payne opened the inning with a solo shot to center for his fourth homer of the season. 
 
Both teams put up ones on the scoreboard in the fifth in sixth before the Bearcats made the game interesting in the ninth by leading off the frame with the bases loaded and no outs.  Zach Poehl came in for Neal and he forced Northwest into a fielder's choice RBI.  Then Poehl made the next hitter ground out in what could have been a game ending double play but the NSU throw sailed five feet over first to allow a second run to score.   A single followed to put runners on the corners and the tying run on deck before Poehl closed the game out on a strike out swinging.
 
The RiverHawks had 13 hits with Dylan Adams coming a homer short of the cycle, Zane Takhar, and Payne both had two RBI days at the plate.
 
"We came out a swung the bat really well and I was really happy with the energy," added Hendrick.  "That's a good arm that they (NWMSU) had out there and a guy coming into the game having a lot of success throughout year early on.  To get to him as early as we did and into their bullpen is very positive."
 
The Bearcats with loss in their MIAA opener is 8-3 and 0-1; Northeastern State climbs to 6-3 and 1-0 in MIAA play.
 
NSU's Zach Parish will start game two of the series on Saturday with a 2 p.m. first pitch scheduled.