HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Northeastern State dug itself out of a five-run deficit and took a late lead but Ouachita Baptist hit a three-run homer in the ninth to top the RiverHawks 9-7 at the Dugan Collegiate Invitational.
Korben Ford had a three-hit afternoon in his NSU debut and three RBI.
Matt Kaiser hit his 27th career homer at NSU and plated two runs. Northeastern State (0-1) left 11 runners and was out-hit 11-to-8.
The Tigers (1-0) batted through the order in the second scoring on a bases-loaded walk and cleared them with a double. A one-out single up the middle gave them a fifth run.
Kaiser hit a leadoff blast to left after to start the fourth and Ford singled through the left side to cut the OBU deficit to three.
After a scoreless inning, Ouachita extended the lead back out to four with a single before the RiverHawks batted through the lineup in the seventh. Ford tied the game with a bloop single to shallow right field and
Tyson Fourkiller hit the go-ahead run on a 0-1 pitch up the middle.
Northeastern State kept the Tigers scoreless in the eighth with a line-out double play to end the frame. The ninth would be a different story and Ouachita had its first two batters reach base. Ouachita's lone homer of the day was the RiverHawks' dagger and a 2-0 pitch cleared the left field wall to give them the win.
NSU's pitching staff struck out seven batters with seven players heading to the bump.
Grant Parr went four innings in release,
Trey Havens struck out two in 1.1 innings of work.
Ty Van Meter (0-1) was charged with the loss in a late save situation.
The RiverHawks return to the diamond on Friday for a rematch with Ouachita Baptist at 10 a.m.
