TAHLEQUAH – A seven run fifth inning by Southwest Baptist handed Northeastern State a 10-3 home loss on Friday afternoon.
 
Bryce Davenport hit a pair of doubles and scored a RBI for NSU who has now dropped six in row, and is 9-9 overall and 3-4 in MIAA action.
 
Southwest Baptist (14-6, 5-5 MIAA) struck in the second inning with a solo homer and later adding one more on a double steal with runners on the corners to go up 2-0.  Chad Reibenspies led the bottom half of the frame with a solo shot that went right down and over the right field line for NSU's first run.
 
After two scoreless innings, the Bearcats, after a fly ball out hit four in a row off of NSU starter Hunter Neal.  Southwest Baptist scored two off of a double to center, then one on a ground out, and one more on another double.  With two outs, SBU increased their lead to 9-1 on a three-run homer to left center.
 
In the bottom half of the fifth, Davenport plated a run on a double to make the score 9-2.  Jordan Payne in the seventh got NSU within six on a RBI single to center but SBU hit a solo home run in the eighth for their tenth run of the game.
 
Southwest Baptist outhit the RiverHawks 14-to-9 with five Bearcat players having multi-hit afternoons.
 
Neal (3-1) was charged with the loss going five innings with four strikeouts; Zach Poehl came out of the bullpen and threw four frames.
 
Northeastern State will continue the series on Saturday with a 2 p.m. first pitch scheduled.