Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BRANSON, Mo. – Northeastern State began a two-day stint in Branson, Mo. with a 16-1 toppling of Ecclesia before falling in eight innings to Northern State (4-3) in the late game on Tuesday afternoon.

After allowing a single run in the top of the first, the RiverHawks (6-14) became the aggressors in the early game against Ecclesia. Northeastern responded with multiple runs in all four innings at the plate, highlighted by six in the third frame. 

Meanwhile, Madison Heinle pitched four scoreless in the circle the rest of the way to help seal the victory in one-sided fashion. Heinle struck out six in the triumph, while the NSU offense assisted her with 13 base hits and home runs from Maddie Messenger and Madison Nance. Messenger's homer was part of a five-RBI performance, while Nance's first NSU home run was part of a three-hit effort, which matched Korynn Tindel for the team high in hits tallied. 

In the late game, the RiverHawks took a 2-0 advantage in the top of the third off an RBI single from Messenger, while an additional run also came home in the frame from an error. After five scoreless tossed from Gracie Turner, the Wolves answered back with a score off a two-out double in the sixth before logging the tying run in the seventh to launch the game into extras.

In the game's lone extra inning, Northeastern took a brief lead from a Kelsey Fox sacrifice fly before Northern State legged out the tying run from an infield single and found the clincher off a two-out line drive to left field. 

Individually, Tindel was joined by Macie Sawney with two hits each, while Braedyn Sheofee was assessed the loss from the circle after surrendering the eighth inning's two runs from the opposition. 

The second half of NSU's time in Branson takes place Wednesday with contests against Augustana (11 a.m.) and McKendree (1 p.m.).