TAHLEQUAH, Okla, - The University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team splits Saturday doubleheader, series with Northeastern State. 

INSIDE THE MATCH UP 
Final: Game 1: UCCS 4, NSU 2 | Game 2: UCCS 3, NSU 4 
Records: UCCS (5-3, 0-0) | NSU (3-5, 0-0) 
Location: Rousey Field | Tahlequah, Oklahoma 
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions and Riverhawks split the first four games in the all-time series 2-2. 
  
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE 

• NSU's starting pitcher Murphy Bostick began the game by hitting leadoff batter Mikey Brinton and surrendering a single to Bryce Peterson to put runners on first and second with no outs, but the next three batters were retired. In the Riverhawk's first trip to the plate, they managed to score two thanks to a Diego Murillo hit by pitch and a home run from Gage Williams that would score both himself and Murillo.  

• In the top of the second inning the Mountain Lions found the bases loaded with two outs but couldn't bring anyone in. The Riverhawks offensive momentum was slowed in the bottom half of the inning thanks to two strikeouts from UCCS starting pitcher Jordan Brown and a forced fly out.  

• The third and fourth innings brought little action as the only runner to get into scoring position was the Riverhawk's Gage Williams as he singled and reached third base after a passed ball and sacrifice grounder. Ultimately neither team could score, and the game remained at 0-2 Riverhawks.  

•  The fifth inning brought much of the same, but it was the top of the sixth when the Mountain Lions were able to strike. Trevor Dale walked and worked his way around the bases to eventually end up on third. When a passed ball opportunity presented itself, Dale advanced home to cut the lead to one. The Mountain Lions sat down the bottom side of the inning to send things to the seventh.  

• The Riverhawks would make a pitching change to Sullivan Lane in the top of the seventh after a single from Bryce Peterson but would get out of the inning unscathed. NSU managed a few base hits in the bottom of the seventh but resulted in nothing keeping the game at 1-2 headed to the eighth.  

• To begin the eighth, NSU made a pitching change swapping Lane for Izac Sizemore. He would begin his outing by walking Hayden Iverson. The next batter, Caleb Stubbings, reached on an error, advancing Iverson to third. UCCS's Trevor Dale would ground out in a double play, but not before Iverson came home to score, tying up the game. The Mountain Lions would rely on Joshua Zotto, who was subbed in during the seventh, to send them into the ninth with a tie ballgame.  

• In the top of the ninth, with a tie ballgame, Nolan Oliver led off the Mountain Lions with a walk. With Oliver on first, the next two batters were retired. With the Mountain Lions down to one out, Bryce Peterson came to the plate and delivered a home run to put the Mountain Lions on top 4-2. Joe Plise came into the game to close and after a first batter walk, he forced a double play and struck out the last to hold on. 

STATS FROM GAME ONE 

• Bryce Peterson hit his first homer of the year with a go-ahead homer in the top of the ninth.  

• UCCS had a sharp eye at the plate managing seven walks to the Riverhawks three.  

• Joshua Zotto grabs the win to move to (1-0) meanwhile Izac Sizemore takes the loss and is (0-1) on the year.  

HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO 

• NSU starting pitcher Gus Collins was quick to work as he sat down the first three batters for UCCS. Meanwhile, UCCS starting pitcher Joe McDermott had the same idea as he retired three of the first four batters. 

• The second and third innings were much of the same as both teams were held scoreless on the backs of some good pitching and defensive work.  

• It was the fourth inning when UCCS finally struck. It started with a Mikey Brinton double to left field and a Bryce Peterson walk to put runners on first and second. A wild pitch would then move both runners into scoring position. Kit Wigington hit a ground ball and reached safely when the first basemen threw out Brinton at home trying to score. It was the next batter, Hayden Iverson, who would hit a fly ball to center scoring Peterson after tagging up on the play. The Mountain Lions would continue their dominant defensive streak retiring three of four Riverhawk batters ending the fourth inning with a 1-0 Mountain Lion lead.  

• In the top of the fifth UCCS found bases loaded but failed to capitalize on the opportunity, bringing the Riverhawks back up to bat. In their chance, they had a batter hit by a pitch who then stole second and rounded the bases to third on a failed pickoff attempt. Two batters later, Tanner Almond scored Sloan Smith after an error by the first baseman knotting things up at 1-1.  

• After two quick outs in the top of the sixth, Hayden Iverson sent one over the right field wall for a solo home run to send the Mountain Lions back into the lead 2-1. After a leadoff walk Ronan Hella was called on to pitch for UCCS in the bottom of the seventh and allowed a double from the first batter. The next batter, Austin Rees, would single bringing in a runner for NSU to tie up the game. The next batter would be hit by a pitch putting runners on first and third. A sac fly would score another and put Rees on third, with one more sac fly bringing in the final runner for the inning resulting in a 2-4 lead for Northeastern.  

• In a pressure packed seventh inning, Holden Yaksick was called on to close retiring the first batter he faced but surrendered two singles after. A passed ball put runners into scoring position. An error from the third baseman scored one making it 3-4 and leaving a runner on second. Sullivan Lane was called on to relieve and forced a lineout. In UCCS's last chance, Bryce Peterson went down swinging to end the game in a close 3-4 final score.  

STATS FROM GAME TWO  

• Gus Collins picks up the win moving to (1-0) on the year. Ronan Hella records the loss for the Mountain Lions and moves to (0-1) on the year.  

• UCCS strand 5 on base in a one run loss while NSU scores four and strands 4. 

• Hayden notches two RBIs in the loss and scores one himself.  

• James Harbinson records a hit in his one attempt as a pinch hitter to help the Mountain Lions attempt a 2 run comeback. 

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE 

• Today was the second ever meeting of the two programs with yesterday being the first. Both teams are now (2-2) versus each other after another day of split game doubleheaders.  

UP NEXT 

• The Mountain Lions next test is at home vs Adams State University on February 21st. 

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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.