French Drives in Three in SE win over NSU

DURANT, Okla. – Cameron French connected on three hits and drove in three runs to help power Southeastern to an 8-6 win over Northeastern State on Tuesday afternoon at Mike Metheny Field.
 
The win lifts the Savage Storm to 4-0 to open the year heading into a four-game home series with Colorado Christian set for Feb. 11-12 at Mike Metheny Field.
 
French carried over his momentum from the weekend and finished the contest 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBI.
 
Seven other players each collected one hit.
 
Richard Ware was one of those players and added a pair of RBI, while Joseph Ramirez plated a pair of runs as well.
 
Seth Morrow would drive in the other run.
 
On the hill, Hayden Alexander got the start and tossed 4.2 innings, earning a no decision after allowing three runs on four hits while striking out four.
 
KC Bryan would face two batters in relief without recording an out before Dylan Turner came on to toss the next 3.0 innings, allowing a run on three hits with a pair of strikeouts.
 
Coby Langford would come on and toss two-thirds of an inning, allowing two runs on three hits with one K, but was able to record the win, his first of the season.
 
Kenneth Klier came on in the ninth inning and registered two-thirds of an inning on one pitch, coaxing a game-ending double-play to pick up the first save of the year.
 
The game looked to be a pitcher's duel early as the game was scoreless midway through the fourth inning before Ware, Morrow, and Brett Gonzalez would lead off the bottom of the fourth going single, single, walk to load the bases. French would cash in a batter later with a three-run double to take the lead.
 
The advantage was short-lived, however, as NSU would collect three runs on four hits in the top of the fifth to even the game at 3-3.
 
An inning later the Riverhawks would take the lead on a sac fly to go ahead 4-3.
 
Ware would even the game again in the bottom of the seventh, taking advantage of a leadoff, pinch-hit single by Blake McQuain. McQuain was replaced on the base paths by Michael Bernhardt who would come around to score on a Ware sac fly, knotting the game at 4-4.
 
Southeastern would get the offense moving in the bottom of the eight, first taking the lead on a two-run Ramirez single with the bases-loaded before Ware would get hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and was immediately followed by a bases-loaded walk issued to Morrow, opening up an 8-4 lead.
 
Those insurance runs would come in handy as NSU would get a pair of runs back in the top of the ninth before Klier closed out the 8-6 by coaxing the Riverhawks into a double-play to end the game.