No. 8 Mules Take Two From NSU

The Northeastern State baseball team lost the first two games of a three-game series against No. 8-ranked Central Missouri Sunday afternoon at Thomas C. Rousey Field.

The RiverHawks (6-6, 6-6 MIAA) dropped the seven-inning first game 6-2, and the Mules (8-1, 5-0 MIAA) went on to secure the sweep with a 16-11 nine-inning night cap triumph.

Junior right fielder Cody Robinson hit two home runs in the second game, and freshman Cody Begovich recorded a pinch-hit homer – his first-career hit – in the same contest.

UCM 6, NSU 2

Senior shortstop Kegan Knight and sophomore catcher David Weber both had two hits as Northeastern State outhit the Mules 8-6. Senior center fielder Trent Wilkins led NSU with two runs batted in.

Central Missouri jumped out to a 4-0 lead after four frames, and a two-RBI single from Wilkins plated both RiverHawks runs. UCM tacked on insurance runs in the sixth and seventh innings, and Northeastern State was unable to respond.

Senior Craig George (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season after giving up five runs (two earned) on five hits in 5.0 innings of work. He walked six and struck out three.

Senior Frank Sprick and sophomore T.J. Foster tossed the final two frames.

Jake Heissler (3-0) pitched 1.1 innings of relief to earn the win for Central Missouri. Trevor Jones and John Oropeza had four of UCM's six hits. Oropeza drove home two and scored twice.

UCM 16, NSU 11

Seven runs were plated before the game reached the second inning, and it didn't stop there as the teams combined for 27 tallies in the nine-inning affair.

Central Missouri jumped on top 4-0, and NSU responded with three in the home half of the first, which included one of Robinson's homers.

The Mules tacked on three in each of the fourth and fifth innings, and NSU could only answer with a four-run fifth, powered by a three-run shot from Robinson.

Begovich recorded his first-career hit in the seventh, which was a pinch-hit home run. The home side was unable to generate any more offense, as UCM scored in each of the last six innings.

Robinson finished 3-for-4 with five RBI and three runs scored. Knight was 2-for-5 with three runs batted in and two runs scored. Begovich was 1-for-1 with three RBI.

Sophomore Dymin Morillo (0-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing nine runs (seven earned) on six hits in 4.1 innings. Seniors Gavin Johnson and Brandon Compton, junior Addison Williams, and sophomore Brooks Deatherage combined to throw the final 4.2 frames.

Chris Fitzpatrick lasted 4.1 innings for the Mules and picked up a no-decision. He allowed six runs on eight hits. Andrew Urban (1-0) threw 2.2 innings of relief and was credited with the win, despite allowing five runs on five hits. Blake Kolons tossed the last two frames and earned the save.

The two teams will complete the series at noon March 4.