ECU Sweeps RiverHawks in LSC Doubleheader

ADA, Okla. – East Central swept Northeastern State 11-9 and 13-12 in Lone Star Conference baseball play Saturday afternoon at Ada.

The doubleheader loss drops the RiverHawks to 14-20 for the season and 12-16 in LSC play. East Central improves to 6-17 and 6-14 in league play.

The RiverHawks held a 4-0 lead after 2 ½ innings of play. Eric McKinney put NSU on the board in the first with a solo homer and Taylor Clark gave the RiverHawks a 3-0 lead with a 2-run homer in the second inning.  In the third frame McKinney launched his second home run of the game for a 4-0 Northeastern State advantage.

ECU scored two runs in the third and followed with three more in the fourth to take a 5-4 lead. However, the RiverHawks regained the lead in the top of the fifth with a 3-run burst on two base hits and an ECU error, taking a 7-5 lead.

The Tigers cut the NSU lead to 7-6 after five innings but the RiverHawks padded their margin with a run in the sixth (8-5) on two base hits and another Tiger error.

East Central then erupted for five runs in the last of the sixth to take an 11-8 lead on four base hits, including a 2-run home run by Trevor Gain. The RiverHawks scored a single run in the seventh when Noah Ringenberger doubled to right center and scored on Angel Hernandez’ double to right center.

In the second game Northeastern State pounded out 22 base hits, but could not overcome East Central’s 8-run first inning.

The RiverHawks took the early lead 3-0 in the first inning before the ECU explosion. The RiverHawks had a big inning also, scoring 8 runs in the third for an 11-all tie. In the inning NSU pounded out 9 base hits.

The Tigers regained the lead in the fourth with a single run and added another in the seventh. The RiverHawks managed only one more run, that coming in the fifth, when Brandon Espinal was issued a bases loaded walk that forced home McKinney.

EAST CENTRAL 11-13, NORTHEASTERN STATE 9-12

First Game

Northeastern State 121 031 1 – 9 11 1

East Central               002 315 x –11 12 2

Head, Travis (6) and Terronez; O’Leary and Wolf. W: O’Leary (2-2). L: Head 0-3. HR: McKinney (5);  Clark (2), Gavin (2).

Second Game

Northeastern State 308 010 000 – 12 22 3

East Central 803 100 10x – 13 15 0

Ringenberger, Colburn (1) and C. Sprick; Pendleton, Abbott (3), Davis (5), Ross (8) Stuckey (9) and Grace. W: Davis (2-1). L: Colburn (2-5). HR: Howard (3), Temple (2).