TAHLEQUAH –
Matt Kaiser blasted three homers and hit a walk-off grand slam in the tenth to take an emotionally charged series finale, 17-13, over Pittsburg State Sunday.
Kaiser had a seven RBI game matching a season-high for the team and is the first player to have three homers at home since Justin Delay in 2008.
Unintentionally lost behind Kaiser's day at the plate,
Blaze Brothers hit for the cycle, joining teammate
Brock Reller who had one earlier in the season. Brothers completed the cycle with a double in the ninth inning, scoring four runs, and stole a base.
Reller was a double short of a cycle with a four-hit game, scoring three runs, and hit his 12th homer of the season.
The RiverHawks were one-out away from winning the game up 11-8 in the ninth. An infield error extended the game, and it was followed by a controversial call at first that could have wrapped things up. Instead, it loaded the bases, and the Gorillas hit a first-pitch grand slam to left field to take a 12-11 lead.
In the bottom half of the inning, the RiverHawks fought back, and following a lead-off walk, Brothers doubled down the left-field line to put the tying run at third. A wild pitch allowed the tying run to come home, and Pitt State intentionally walked Kaiser and Reller to load the bases with one out. The strategy worked, and a ground ball double play ended the frame.
After going done two outs, the Gorillas (15-9, 9-3 MIAA) would get a go-ahead home run to retake the lead, 13-12.
NSU would fight to the last out and manage the load the bases with one out; Brothers would draw a full-count walk to bring in the tying run in before Kaiser blasted the first pitch he saw over the centerfield fence.
Northeastern State out-hit the Gorillas 19-to-15 and took the three-game series to improve to 17-9 (7-6 MIAA).
Weather permitting, the RiverHawks are slated to travel to Oklahoma Baptist Tuesday for a non-conference game. Otherwise, they will travel to Northwest Missouri for a three-game MIAA series starting on March 25.
