RiverHawks 4th at Spa City Classic

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. ----  Northeastern State (OK) finished the final day of the Spa City Classic with a 2-0 victory over Southern Arkansas and fell in extra innings to Missouri Western to end the weekend with a 3-2 mark and claim fourth place here Sunday afternoon.

Northeastern State starter Amy Derichsweiler was shelled in the first inning against Missouri Western.  The Griffons opened the first innings with four consecutive hits that included two doubles and led 3-0 before the RiverHawks could record the first out. Derichsweiler fanned the next two batters before giving up the final hit of the frame that scored another run to give Missouri Western a 4-0 lead after one inning.

The RiverHawks slowly chipped away at the lead over the next four innings.  Northeastern State got on the board in the second inning as Megan Heskett started a two-out rally with a single and Shaelyn Moore reached on an error.  DJ Simpson followed with an RBI single to score Heskett and the cut the deficit to 4-1.  Northeastern State scored runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to tie the game at 4-4 on RBI singles from Simpson, Erica Holly and Melissa Simms.

Derichsweiler cruised after the first inning, shutting the Griffons down until the eighth inning and the international tie break in effect where a runner is place at second base.  Missouri Western bunted the runner to third and a ground out to second plated a run for a 5-4 Griffons lead.  Missouri Western capitalized on two straight hits take a 6-4 advantage.  The RiverHawks were retired in order in the eighth to fall 6-4.

In the second game of the day, the RiverHawks rode the arm of Jenny Collins to a 2-0 victory over Southern Arkansas.  Collins scattered three hits to pick up her first shut out of the year.  Both of the runs scored by the RiverHawks were from Lady Riders miscues in the field.  Ashley Rogers was hit by a pitch in the third inning to force home a run and Kaylee Moody singled home the other run in the seventh to give Northeastern State the 2-0 victory.

The RiverHawks will open Lone Star Conference play on Tuesday February 24 at RiverHawks Park against Southwestern Oklahoma State.  The double-header is slated to start at 1:00.