TAHLEQUAH, Okla, - Northeastern State University baseball team takes game one 7-3 on the backs of some good hitting, but the University of Colorado Colorado Springs bounces back with a 5-2 victory after a dominant defensive performance.  

INSIDE THE MATCHUP 

• Final: Game 1: UCCS 3, NSU 7 | Game 2: UCCS 5, NSU 2
• Records: UCCS (4-2, 0-0 RMAC) | NSU (2-4, 0-0 MIAA) 
• Location: Rousey Field | Tahlequah, Oklahoma 
• All-Time Series: Today's contests were the first between the Mountain Lion and Riverhawk baseball programs with the all-time series now tied at a game a piece.

  
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE 

• After three of the first four UCCS batters were retired in the top of the first, the Mountain Lions found themselves in a bit of trouble after two hits and a hit by pitch left the bases loaded with no outs. The Riverhawks' cleanup batter then grounded into a double play resulting in one runner scoring and one being left on third base. Pitcher Jason Fink would walk a batter but then strike the next one out to end the inning 0-1 down.  

• UCCS would quickly take some momentum back after Trevor Dale would reach second base after being hit by a pitch and advancing on a passed ball. The next batter, Evan Steinberger, reached on a fielding error which also advanced Dale to third. With runners on the corners, Nolan Oliver delivered with a double to left field scoring both Dale and Steinberger putting the Mountain Lions back on top 2-1. But, in the bottom of the inning, with two outs Finley Bunch was walked and came around to score the next at bat when Tanner Almond hit one in play and the first basemen muffed the throw. The second inning would end with the game being knotted at 2-2.   

• The top of the third started with a bang as Kit Wigington sent one over the center field wall to regain the lead 3-2. That would be all for UCCS on offense, and as NSU came up to bat, they got to work. After two singles they found runners on the corners with no outs. Jason Fink would then strike out the next two batters and ground one out to first base to get out of the inning.   

• After a scoreless fourth and top of the ,fifth the Riverhawks got things going with their bats in the bottom of the fifth. Two singles and a stolen base put runners in scoring positions when a sacrifice ground ball scored one and put another on third.  Another single up the right would score the runner on third which was followed by a home run from Jake Woodring that brought the Riverhawks to a 3-6 lead. Fink would walk another and strike one more out before being subbed out after a single for Vander Hodges. An error would score one more bringing the lead to 3-7 before Tanner Almond was caught stealing second ultimately ending the inning.  

• The sixth inning was another scoreless one that kept the Riverhawks with a four-run lead and saw Holden Yaksick come onto pitch. The 7th inning brought much of the same with the Mountain Lions making a pitching change this time with Colton Trudeau coming in for Vander Hodges. Nonetheless, the lead remained 3-7 for the Riverhawks.  

• UCCS struggled to get anything going on offense in the top of the 8th, meanwhile NSU's Tanner Almond doubled to center and advanced to 3rd on a groundball in the bottom half of the inning. Trudeau followed that up with a strikeout to get them out of the inning still down 3-7. 

• The game would end in the top of the 9th as the Mountain Lions grounded out and flew out twice.  

STATS FROM GAME ONE 

• The Mountain Lions recorded 3 hits to the Riverhawks 9. 

• Holden Yaksick of NSU pitched 3.1 innings without giving up a hit while striking out 4. Starter Braxton Jones also had 9 strikeouts as well for a team total of 13.  

• Kit Wigington notched the team's first homerun this year in the top of the 3rd.

• Braxton Jones (1-0) picks up the win for NSU as Jason Fink (1-1) takes the loss for UCCS.

HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO 

• UCCS started off game two with a single from Mikey Brinton followed by a home run from Colton Trudeau giving the Mountain Lions a 2-0 lead. Caleb Stubbings and Kit Wigington would also record singles in the inning, but neither would score. Meanwhile, UCCS starting pitcher Ryder Mancuso found his stride early as he sat down the of the first four batters in the bottom half.  

• UCCS picked up right where they left off as Nolan Ackerman led off the inning with a single up the middle. During the next at-bat he would advance to second on a passed ball, putting himself in scoring position. Mikey Brinton would then continue his nice showing with another single that brought around Ackerman to extend the lead to 3-0. The next two Mountain Lions would strike out swinging taking the game to the bottom of the 2nd. The Riverhawks could get nothing going with the bats as they were held hitless through two innings.   

• The dominance on the offensive side of things continued for UCCS with a leadoff walk from Hayden Iverson who stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Trevor Dale went on to single and score Iverson pushing the lead to 4-0. Mancuso kept form and retired all 3 Riverhawk batters in the inning. 

• Things slowed down a bit in the 4th as Dillon Vroman was the only baserunner for the Mountain Lions thanks to a single, but he was eventually called for interference to send things to the bottom half of the 4th. Mancuso was delivering this outing as he continued to hold the Riverhawks hitless through 4 innings and the only baserunners came on the backs of 3 walks thus far.  

• The top of the 5th inning was much of the same for UCCS as Wigington singled for the second time today and then stole second. Caleb Stubbings then poked one into the outfield for a double allowing Wigington to come around and score to push the lead to 5 runs. In the bottom half of the inning, Mancuso forced a popped up and a ground out before hitting a batter. He then closed out the inning by forcing another ground out keeping the Riverhawks hitless through 5 innings.  

• UCCS couldn't add on to their lead in the top of the 6th as Brazen Bockius came into pitch and in the bottom half Mancuso's no hitter efforts were put to rest with a home run from Jackson Dillingham of NSU. The Mountain Lions would take a 5-1 lead into the 7th.  

• Colton Ayres would go on to homer in the bottom of the 7th to cut the lead to 5-2, but the effort was too little as the Mountain Lions would hold on for a 5-2 victory.  

STATS FROM GAME TWO

• Ryder Mancuso had an excellent performance on the bump today allowing only 2 hits in his 7-inning complete game. 

• UCCS had things going their way offensively as they recorded 11 hits with 8 different individuals recording at least one.  

• 3 stolen bases and 2 walks helped propel the Mountain Lions to victory while NSU was held to only 4 baserunners in the 7-inning game.  

• Ryder Macuso (1-0) gets the win in his first decision of the season, as Drake Sisemore (0-1) suffers the loss for the Riverhawks.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE 

• This was the first ever meeting of the two teams with both teams now sitting at (1-1) versus each other. 

•  Ryder Mancuso notches his first career complete game in game two to help the Mountain Lions split the series.  

UP NEXT 

• UCCS will square up with NSU tomorrow for round two with another double header set for the same time as today. 

SOCIAL 
Twitter – @GoMountainLions   
Instagram – @gomountainlions  
Facebook – GoMountainLions   
   
As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 14 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.