TAHLEQUAH – Northeastern State dropped both of their games on late runs by Northwest Missouri State on Sunday to conclude their six game home stand.
 
The sixth inning wasn't kind to the RiverHawks with Bearcats (16-10, 5-1 MIAA) rallying from a one-run deficit in the opener to plate two runs in the sixth to win 5-4; in the night cap, they scored three in the sixth inning to complete the sweep on a 5-2 win.
 
In the six game home stand this last week NSU went 2-4 against MIAA programs.
 
Northeastern State plated their first run in opening frame with Sierra Crick hitting a RBI double to the center field gap.  After two scoreless innings, a leadoff NSU error came back around to haunt them with the Bearcats picking up four hits to take a 3-1 lead.
 
Ryan Martin opened up the fourth with leadoff double and nearly was left where she was standing if it wasn't for a Bearcat error with two outs.  Martin scored on the play from second to get NSU back within a run.
 
In the fifth, NSU battled back with Kelsey Harmon scoring on an outfield throwing error while coming in from third to tie the game.   Kaleigh Hinkle later hit a sac fly to center to plate Paige Gann in from third for the go-ahead run. 
 
The RiverHawks' lead was short-lived and the Bearcats loaded the bases with no-outs.  Northwestern Missouri hit into a ground ball fielder's choice to give the RiverHawks a shot to escape with no damage.  However, the Bearcats scored the tying run on a fly ball to center, and scored the eventual winning run on a double to go up 5-4.
 
Northeastern State went down in order in the sixth but managed to get the winning run at home in the seventh.  Martin with two-outs and with Acrey at first just missed a walk off homer on a ball that sailed just left of the foul pole; one the next pitch the game ended with a strikeout looking.
 
Taryn Gray (3-6) pitched 6 2/3 innings with two earned runs charged in the start, Jennifer Wolf recorded the final out in the circle for NSU. 
 
Paige Gann went 2-for-4 with a run scored; Northeastern State was out-hit 10-to-6 by the Bearcats.
 
In the nightcap, the Bearcats picked up two runs in the opening frame on four hits.  After the opening frame it wouldn't be the fifth for the RiverHawks to score the games next run with Carlee Gann tying the game at two with a homer to center to brake up a no-hit bid by the Bearcats. 
 
The game wouldn't be tied for long and Northwest Missouri State nearly went through their order in sixth to score three go-ahead runs on the RiverHawks.   Northeastern State would get the tying run to the plate in the bottom half of the inning but a line out ended their best shot.  In the seventh, NSU went down in order to drop the second game of the doubleheader. 
 
NSU was only limited to three hits in the loss; Wolf (7-6) pitched a complete game for the RiverHawks.
 
The losses send Northeastern State to 17-18 overall and 6-6 in the MIAA, they will return to the field on Friday to face Lincoln.