TAHLEQUAH – Ryan Martin homered twice as the RiverHawks split Saturday's games with Missouri Western State. Northeastern Sate fell 7-4 in the opener and later beat the Griffons 4-3 in the nightcap.
 
NSU's win snapped a 13 game skid to Missouri Western that dated back to April 21, 2012, and is the first for the RiverHawks under head coach Clay Davis.
 
The Griffons (23-7, 3-1 MIAA) entered the day just outside of the NFCA top-25, and winners of six of their last eight games.
 
After a scoreless inning in the opener, Missouri Western took advantage of an NSU error while attempting to turn a double play and plated three runs on three hits.  In the bottom half of the same inning, Martin hit her fourth homer of the year on the first pitch to make the score 3-1.
 
Missouri Western added to their lead in the fourth with a one-out RBI single and then after a fly out, MWSU hit a two-run homer to right field, pushing their lead to 6-1 on the RiverHawks.
 
Northeastern State opened the fifth with back-to-back hits from Jessica Boone and Kelsey Harmon.  A wild pitch moved the runners into scoring position for Paige Gann who plated NSU's second run on a sac fly to center.  In the sixth, the RiverHawks belted back-to-back shots from Kaleigh Hinkle and Carlee Gann; they would get the tying run to the plate after a Harmon double but the inning would end on a fly out.
 
Mo. Western picked up an insurance run in the seventh before the RiverHawks went down in order in the bottom half of the frame.
 
NSU was out-hit 13-to-6 with Harmon having a two hit game; Taryn Gray (3-5) pitched a complete game with five earned runs given up.
 
In the nightcap Mo. Western State plated a run in opening inning that resulted from a NSU throwing error.  Northeastern State matched the score in the bottom half of the frame with Haley Acrey hitting a single up the middle scoring Sierra Crick in from second.
 
Northeastern State pulled ahead in the fourth after the inning opened with a runner reaching first off a passed ball strike out.  Martin followed and hit her second homer of the day to left field to give the RiverHawks a 3-1 lead.
 
After a scoreless fifth, the Griffons opened the sixth inning off with a solo shot to center to get within one of the RiverHawks. In the bottom half of the inning, Acrey doubled down the left field line with one out and advanced to third on a passed ball.  NSU would draw back-to-back walks before Carlee Gann scored an insurance run on a fielder's choice to go up 4-2. 
 
The game wouldn't end without any drama and the Griffons hit a two-out double to right field to get the go-ahead run at the plate.  However, the threat ended with a popup to third to end the game.
 
Jennifer Wolf (7-5) picked up her third win in a row in the complete game effort.
 
NSU was out-hit in the nightcap 10-to-5 with Acrey having two hits.
                                      
Northeastern State (17-16, 6-4) will conclude their homestand on Sunday with a doubleheader at noon against Northwest Missouri State.