TAHLEQUAH – For the third consecutive season, Northeastern State opens its season in Hot Springs to play in the Dugan Collegiate Baseball Invitational. 

The RiverHawks will look to make an early mark against quality in-region foes with all three teams being ranked inside of the top ten in the Preseason NCBWA Central Region Poll.

Thursday, Feb. 1 | vs. Ouachita Baptist, 1 p.m. | Live Stats
Friday, Feb. 2 | vs. Ouachita Baptist, 10 a.m. | Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 3 | vs. #17 Southern Arkansas, 4 p.m. | Live Stats 
Sunday, Feb. 4 | vs. Henderson State, 4 p.m. | Live Stats

Northeastern State opens its season with two games against Ouachita Baptist a squad that qualified for the NCAA tournament last season.  The 2024 Tigers feature their top three run producers from 2023 in G. Allen, Dustin Bermudez, and Michael Quinones. They combined for 35 home runs and 149 RBI.

On Saturday, the RiverHawks will meet No. 17-ranked Southern Arkansas a team that was the preseason pick to win the Great American Conference. They reached the 40-win milestone for the 13th time in program history. They return four All-GAC performers in First-Team picks Jeremy Adorno, Isaiah Haynes, and Brandon Nicoll plus Newcomer of the Year Mikel Howell. Adorno went 8-4 with 123 strikeouts in 109.1 innings pitched.

Northeastern State closes its opening week out with Henderson State.   The Reddies were picked to finish in fifth place in the GAC and return four 2023 All-GAC selections in third baseman Kaden Argenbright, relief pitcher Henry Coppens, starter Ryan Galvan, and first baseman Luke Rice. Rice led the team in average, home runs and RBI. Argenbright hit .338; Coppens saved five games, struck out 45 in 33.2 innings, and held opponents to a .142 average; Galvan went 5-5.

The RiverHawks have five of its starters from the 2023 season back this spring, with four of them earning All-MIAA accolades.  Northeastern State was one of the final three teams at last season's MIAA Tournament and was picked to finish sixth for the 2024 season.