TAHLEQUAH – Ben Strahm tossed the first inter-NCAA Division II no-hitter of the season to cap a stellar day for the RiverHawks on Sunday afternoon.  Northeastern State took the opener 5-2 over UA-Fort Smith and then the nightcap 4-0 at Thomas C. Rousey Field.

Strahm sat down ten batters for his second outing in a row and threw 104 pitches against a Lions squad that reached the NCAA Division II regional finals one year ago. 

Fort Smith entered the doubleheader with the RiverHawks winners of their first six games; Northeastern State (6-3) has now won five in a row.

Originally, the doubleheader with the Lions was to be played on Saturday at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Ark. but unplayable field conditions brought the RiverHawks home.  The friendly confines of Thomas C. Rousey Field played into NSU's favor.

Tristan Ridenour's bat was the difference in the opener and he broke a 2-2 tie in the fourth with a homer to left field to plate a pair of runs.   In the sixth, Ridenour hit a two-out homer to the same spot in left field to move NSU ahead 5-2 on the Lions.

The late run support is what Dustin Berrong (3-0) needed and he only allowed three hits for his first complete game of the season. 

In the nightcap, over three innings passed before the first hit of the game came through for NSU.  Zane Takhar hit a one-out single through the left side and stole second to put himself in scoring position.  Jaxon Phipps later found the hole through the left side to score Takhar in from second.

Ridenour in the fifth hit his third homer of the day with a solo shot to left to put the RiverHawks up 2-0.  Phipps added to NSU's advantage an inning later with a two-out homer on his third pitch seen.

Strahm (2-1) has now tossed 15 straight innings of scoreless ball for the RiverHawks following wins over UA-Fort Smith and Rogers State.

Weather permitting; Northeastern State has a Tuesday contest at Oklahoma Baptist scheduled for 5 p.m.