RiverHawks Making Improvement

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. -- Northeastern State is nearing the halfway point of the baseball season and head coach Sergio Espinal feels his club is improving.

The RiverHawks are currently 9-13 overall and 7-9 in the Lone Star Conference standings. Northeastern State resumes play on Friday with a doubleheader against Soutthwestern State at Rousey Field beginning at 1 p.m., followed by a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m.

The RiverHawks defeated University of Arkansas-For t Smith 13-1 last Tuesday, and were swept by Cameron University on Saturday and Sunday, losing close ball games by scores of 7-5, 8-7, 6-4, and 6-5.

“We are competing well, we are just a hit here and a play there from winning a game,” said Espinal. “The guys are competing every ball game. Hopefully it will turn around and we get a couple of calls our way.

“Nothing has been favoring us, but we have to make our own luck. We are on the right track and I believe good things are going to start happening,” said Espinal.

Espinal said he still looking for some consistency at the plate and on the mound as the RiverHawks enter the second half of the baseball season.

“We just haven’t been getting the clutch hits,” said Espinal. “We’ve had some opportunities to win ball games in the last inning and the senior guys who are supposed to be stepping up haven’t done so yet.

“I’m still positive about it; I think they are capable of doing it, just a matter of when.”

Turning to pitching Espinal said, “We’ve been having some good starts and have been throwing pretty well. But we still need to get better and consistent as far as the starting rotation.

"I still haven’t found that closer that I’m looking for. I’ve given a few guys the opportunity and still haven’t seen the guy that could actually get the job done,” said Espinal.