TAHLEQUAH – Northeastern State is back in action with non-conference clashes against opponents from the Great American Conference (GAC) this week, first making the trip to Durant, Okla. to face Southeastern Oklahoma on Tuesday before playing three games in two days at Rousey Field against Southern Nazarene on Friday and Saturday.
The RiverHawks (0-4) are in search of their first win of the Sunny Golloway era after taking four losses in Arkansas last week.
The Setup
- Northeastern State baseball is guided by head coach Sunny Golloway. Golloway was hired last summer after spending a season in Ada, Okla. in the same position at East Central. He brings decades of experience at the Division I level to Tahlequah, also leading teams at Oral Roberts (1996-2003), Oklahoma (2005-13) and Auburn (2014-15). Golloway-led teams have appeared in 15 NCAA Regionals and four Super Regionals, while he led the Sooners to an appearance in the 2010 College World Series.
- NSU enters the season two removed from one of their best in program history, where the RiverHawks won 38 games and made the Central Regional in 2022. The RiverHawks were only a couple wins shy of returning last season, as one of the last three teams remaining in the MIAA tournament as part of a 25-win effort in 2023.
- This week's games commence during the team's second week of the regular season. Most of their non-conference schedule is against teams from the GAC, with 12 out of 17 taking place against teams from the conference.
Around the Diamond
- Facing off in four games against a trio of teams ranked in the top ten in the NCBWA Central Region preseason poll, last week's action in Arkansas yielded mixed results. The opposition went after NSU's starting pitching unit across the week. None of the team's four starters last week made it past the fifth inning and three of four surrendered at least five earned runs in their appearances. The bullpen also had their share of difficulties, as the group gave up 26 earned across the week.
- Matt Kaiser was a regular source of offense, as the senior opened the year with home runs on consecutive days with drives over the outfield wall on Thursday and Friday against Ouachita Baptist. Kaiser provided a base hit and scored during Sunday's game with Henderson State. The Broken Arrow native enters his third season with the program and is now two homers shy of reaching 30 on his career in Tahlequah.
- Tyson Fourkiller started his first season at NSU strong, leading all players with five base hits, including a double and a home run, while driving in three. Fourkiller also stayed disciplined at the plate, going down on strikes only once across 13 at-bats.
- Cole White enters 2024 as one of the team's top relief pitchers and looked the part last week, throwing 2.1 scoreless innings over matchups with OBU and HSU. In his lone inning of work last Sunday, White sent two Reddies packing via strikeout.
- The RiverHawks had a total of six stolen bases last week, with two coming from both Drew Miller and Isaiah Keller. Keller held the team's crown in swipes last season with 21 on 24 attempts.
Northeastern State at Southeastern Oklahoma // February 6 at 2:00 p.m. // Live Coverage
About Southeastern Oklahoma (3-0)
- The Savage Storm enter the week after a sweep in last week's season-opening series against Colorado-Colorado Springs, where SE scored at least ten runs in two out of three games.
- Zach Crabtree is in his seventh season leading the program, where he has guided twelve players to All-Conference selections and two to All-Region honors, in addition to coaching the 2021 GAC Freshman of the Year, Seth Morrow. Crabtree was the head baseball coach at Murray State College from 2011-17, while he spent time as the head coach at Ft. Towson, Caney, and Durant high schools, where he won 376 games combined.
- Both of SE's All-GAC selections from 2023 return, with second team honoree Damon Burroughs entering the campaign after a .402 batting average last year. Honorable mention Reid Rice picked up right where he left off from last season, hitting two home runs in opening week.
- The Savage Storm were picked to finish eighth in the GAC preseason coaches poll.
Series Notes
- SE leads the all-time series, 94-61.
- The Savage Storm took two out of three 2023 battles, though the RiverHawks took the lone meeting in Durant with a 12-7 victory on Feb. 21, 2023.
- One of NSU's old OIC foes, the series dates back to 1951.
Northeastern State vs. Southern Nazarene // Feb. 9 (3:00 p.m.), Feb. 10 (12:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m.) // Live Coverage
About Southern Nazarene (3-1)
- The Crimson Storm enter after winning three out of four last week against MIAA opponent Newman.
- Grant Ledbetter is in his fifth season coaching at his alma mater, where he pitched from 2005-08. Ledbetter previously spent time in the Oklahoma high school baseball ranks at Bethany and Edmond.
- O'Shea Whitesdie (2 HR) and Jacob Martinez (6 H) led the offense, while Martinez (8 K) also served as a highlight in pitching in last week's series.
- SNU was picked to finish 11th in the GAC preseason coaches poll.
Series Notes
- NSU has won eight of the ten meetings between the two teams in the all-time history.
- The RiverHawks have won four straight.
- Both Crimson Storm victories in the series have been at Rousey Field.
Coming Up
Northeastern State continues their home slate with a rematch against Southeastern Oklahoma at Rousey Field on Feb. 13 at 2 p.m. before hosting Randall (Okla.) for a three-game series from Feb. 16-17.
