TAHLEQUAH – Rogers State walked in the tying and winning run to cap an offensive outburst of eight unanswered runs by Northeastern State in a 10-9 win at Thomas C. Rousey Field Saturday.
The Hillcats (23-16, 11-15 MIAA) looked to have the game locked up after a six-run seventh, where they took a 9-2 lead.
NSU wasn't done by any means yet.
In the bottom half of the seventh,
Brayden Rodden hit a single to right field, and a throwing error allowed
Isaiah Keller to score. After
C.D. White hit a single to put two runs on base,
Coby Tweten hit his sixth homer of the year to cut the RSU lead to three.
Brady Evans opened the eighth with a double, and Keller hit a 0-2 pitch up the middle for an RBI. Rodden pushed NSU within a run on a double to left center field.
Tweten walked to lead off the ninth, and
Blake Freeman followed up with a single up the middle. RSU then intentionally walked
Matt Kaiser to load the bases with no outs. The force-out play by the Hillcats worked for the first batter, but a four-pitch walk to Evans brought the tying run in. NSU's next batter struck out before Keller drew a full-count walk on the seventh pitch of his at-bat for the win.
The RiverHawks' had 13 hits, with
Javier Sanchez (2-1) tossing 2.2 innings of relief and two strikeouts.
Northeastern State moves to 17-21 (11-15 MIAA) on the year, with the rubber match being played Sunday at Rogers State.
