TAHLEQUAH, Oklahoma – The Northeastern State University baseball team completed a doubleheader sweep of the Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats on Saturday, 9-3.
 
Northwest fell to 2-4 on the season and 1-2 in MIAA play. NSU improved to 3-1 overall and 2-1 in league action.
 
The RiverHawks struck early with three runs in the bottom of the first.
 
Northwest's Drew Mackie scored on a throwing error by NSU third baseman Jaxon Phipps to give the Bearcats their first run of the game.
 
NSU's Blaze Brothers connected for a solo homer in the bottom half of the second to push the RiverHawks's advantage back to three at 4-1.
 
Northwest cut the NSU lead in half in the top of the third on an RBI single from Ryan Koski. Koski singled up the middle to score Jacob Pinkerton.
 
NSU answered back with a run in the bottom half of the third to take a 5-2 advantage.
 
Northwest notched an unearned run in the top of the seventh. Connor Quick singles to left and Brett Holden scored on an error by NSU left fielder Corbin Lill. The run pulled Northwest to within 5-3.
 
However, NSU got that run right back with a solo homer from Collin Klingensmith in the bottom of the seventh.
 
NSU added three runs in the bottom of the eighth on a pair of homers. NSU's Phipps hit a homer to lead off the eights and later in the inning Reid Fehr knocked a two-run shot out of the park with two outs to give the RiverHawks a 9-3 lead.
 
The Bearcats are scheduled to open the home season next Saturday and Sunday against Emporia State. The Bearcats and Hornets will play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. Northwest and Emporia State will wrap up the three-game set Sunday with a single game at 2 p.m.
 
NOTES: Ryan Koski has had at least two hits in all six games this season … Koski has posted 10 career multi-hit games … Brett Holden recorded his first career multi-game for the Bearcats … Quick notched his 38th career multi-hit game … Bearcat starter Alexander Lovin pitched two innings and gave up three hits and four runs with one strikeout … reliever Zach Wiese pitched four innings and allowed four hits and one run with a strikeout.