TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – After dropping the first two games of the series yesterday, the Winona State Warriors (0-3) fell once again on Sunday as the Northeastern State RiverHawks (5-2) handed WSU a 17-5 loss.
 
The Warriors went down one, two, three in the top of the first inning to begin play. Northeastern State blitzed WSU in the bottom of the first scoring eight runs on five hits on one Winona State error. The biggest hit of the inning came when Dylan Adams tripled to center field, driving in two.
 
Both sides went down in order in the second inning as the game entered the third inning of play. Kipp Youngquist registered the first Warrior hit of the game on a single to center. Youngquist was thrown out at second on a stolen base attempt one batter later ending the top half of the inning. A double to left field by Dylan Adams set up the RiverHawks with another scoring opportunity, as Butch Rea singled up the middle scoring Adams. Rea later scored on a throwing error and NSU led 10-0 after three.
 
The fourth inning went quickly, as Winona State went down in order once again before Northeastern was unable to capitalize on a leadoff double. Jesus Cazares started the fifth inning with a single before Mitchell Heid drove in the Warriors first run of the game with his triple. Heid would score on a balk one batter later. Andrew Pliner singled to left scoring Chad Herbst a few batters later. Winona State scored three runs on four hits in the top of the fifth inning. Parker Holmstrom followed Winona States three-run inning by striking out the side on fifteen pitches.
 
The Warriors added two more runs in the top of the sixth; the first on a single to left by Cazares scoring Treyton Larson. Heid drove in another run as he grounded out into a double play that scored Taylor Field on a two run, two hit top of the sixth. The RiverHawks countered with seven runs in the bottom half of the inning on six hits while stranding one.
 
Winona State entered the final inning down 12 and were unable to make the comeback, as they were only able to string two hits in the seventh leaving one runner on base faltering 17-5.
 
Quick Hitters:
Cazares and Pliner tied for the team lead with two hits apiece. They also tied for the team lead with Heid in RBI's with one each.
Heid had the lone extra base hit with his triple.
The Warriors were outhit 14-9 on the day.
Winona State travels to West Palm Beach Florida to face Palm Beach Atlantic University on Thursday March 2; First pitch is at 3 p.m.
 
By: Jake Thiede