JOPLIN, Mo. ----- Alex Massie notched his seventh home of the season and Colton Burgess chipped in with two RBI as Northeastern State fell 7-4 to Missouri Southern in MIAA baseball action at Warren Turner Field here Friday.

The RiverHawks fall to 11-30 on the year and 8-18 in conference play.

NSU has found life on the road in the MIAA to be rough.  The RiverHawks have now dropped 13 straight conference road contests dating back to the 2018 season.

After being held to only three hits in the opener, the RiverHawks picked up two in the opening frame.  Erick Espinosa singled to right center, picked up a stolen base and scored on a Burgess single to give NSU the early 1-0 lead.  Missouri Southern equaled the output with two hits and run to tie the game at 1-1 after one inning.

A two-run home run in the second inning and a sacrifice fly in the fourth extended the Lion's led to 4-1 through four innings.
The Northeastern State bats came alive in the fifth inning.  Massie got things started with a leadoff home run. Espinosa single was followed with a Jaxon Phipps double.  Burgess pulled the RiverHawks to within a run at 4-3 with an RBI groundout.  Colton Wright tied the game with an RBI single to cap off a three-run inning.

Missouri Southern answered right back in the bottom half of the fifth with three runs and held on to down the RiverHawks 7-4.

Jonathan Smithey to the mound for his 10th start of the year.  Smithey went four innings, gave up six runs on nine hits and struck out five.  Nolan Sturgeon allowed only one hit and struck out five in three innings of relief.

The RiverHawks and Lions will finish off the three-game series on Saturday.  Game time is set for 1:00 pm.