MOKANE, Mo. - The Lincoln baseball team mounted a furious late rally, but Northeastern State managed to hold off the Blue Tigers for an 11-7 win on Sunday (March 13). Due to the recent inclement weather, the game was played on a neutral field at South Callaway High School instead of in Jefferson City.

Trailing 11-2 entering the bottom of the ninth, Dillon Walker got the rally started by reaching base on balls. A single by Mike Million and Mason Price being hit by a pitch loaded the bases, and Alex Ludwick singled down the right field line to bring home the first two runs of the frame. A sacrifice fly by Wyatt Ahart later pulled Lincoln to within 11-5.

Jake Walker then entered the game as a pinch hitter and made the most of his at-bat, knocking the ball over the left field fence to score himself and Ludwick, bringing the Blue Tigers to within four. Laban Petzoldt was issued a walk, keeping the hopes of a Blue Tiger comeback alive, but a fielder's choice and a ground out in the next two at-bats allowed NSU to hold on for the win.

Northeastern State (11-7, 5-3 MIAA) opened the game with three unearned runs in the top of the first, but Million cut the NSU lead down to 3-2 on a homerun that also plated Dillon Walker in the bottom half of the frame. Lincoln (1-17, 0-8 MIAA) nearly tied the game, as Price and Ludwick later both got on board, but a pair of strikeouts kept NSU on top.

A two-RBI single increased the RiverHawks' lead to 5-2 in the second inning, and NSU later added four runs in the third and two more in the top of the fourth to take the 11-2 advantage. After the final run came in, Zach Maskill took over for LU on the mound and pitched a shutout the rest of the way. In 5.1 innings of work, Maskill allowed just three hits and zero runs while striking out five batters.

Million finished 3-for-4 at the plate, and, in two games against Northeastern State, is now 7-for-9 with six RBI and two homeruns. Ludwick had two hits on the afternoon while Petzoldt finished with one.

Defensively, Kaleb Davis led LU with 13 putouts. Jackson Walker was next with five and Million, Price, Kolton Clark and Dillon Walker each recorded two. Clark added a team-high six assists and starting pitcher Trevor Schnieders registered three while Petzoldt and Dillon Walker had two apiece.

The Blue Tigers and the RiverHawks will return to Jefferson City on Monday (March 14) to close their series with a 12:00 p.m. CDT contest at LU Baseball Field.