TAHLEQUAH – Northeastern State pulled away with five unanswered runs in the sixth and seventh innings to take the series opener 8-2 Thursday afternoon against Fort Hays State.
Kademon Graff and
Matt Kaiser had two RBI as the RiverHawks won its 16th consecutive game in under two hours against the Tigers and improved to 15-18 (9-12 MIAA).
The RiverHawks jumped on Fort Hays State in the opening inning, scoring on a
Coby Tweten sac fly. In the second, NSU added two more on defensive miscues by the Tigers.
Fort Hays State (15-22, 5-16 MIAA) trimmed the deficit to one in the fifth scoring a run on a bunt and single to center field.
In the sixth, Northeastern State strung together four consecutive hits. Kaiser and
Brady Evans had RBI hits, and Graff plated two on a triple to left center. An inning later, Kaiser had his second hit of the game scoring Tweten on a single up the middle.
Seth Stacey went four innings and had five strikeouts,
Javier Sanchez (2-0) earned the win in relief going three innings.
Gage Fuller went two scoreless innings and struck out two Tiger batters.
Northeastern State returns to the field Friday at 2 p.m. for game two against the Tigers.
