TAHLEQUAH – Late insurance runs and a solid performance from NSU starter Dustin Berrong guided the RiverHawks to an 8-3 win over Missouri Western on Friday afternoon.

The win prevented a sweep by the Griffons and snapped an eight-game by NSU who is now 3-18 (2-7 MIAA) this season. 

Berrong (1-5) worked into the ninth inning and struck out seven Missouri Western (9-7, 7-2 MIAA) batters.  

Northeastern State jumped ahead early on the Griffons with a Colton Burgess RBI single and Jaxon Phipps sacrifice fly RBI. 

After going scoreless through four, Missouri Western tagged a run on Berrong on a solo homer.  

Burgess gave NSU run in the seventh with a line out RBI.  Back-to-back RBI singles from Zack Henderson and Blake Freeman an inning later gave the RiverHawks a 5-1 lead. 

In the ninth, Burgess crushed a solo homer to right and Marshall McPherson cleared the fence for the first time this season to score two more runs.

Trailing 8-1, the Griffons tagged NSU for two runs off two homers. 

Northeastern State tallied ten hits with Burgess and Freeman both had two-hit days. 

The RiverHawks remain at home and will host Oklahoma Baptist on Tuesday for a mid-week non-conference contest.