Raiders baseball sweeps Williams Baptist

WALNUT RIDGE, Arkansas — The Three Rivers College baseball team rode a pair of dominant performances to a pair of road wins Monday against Williams Baptist University’s junior varsity squad.

Three Raiders pitchers combined on a two-hit shutout in the opener for a 3-0 win, then the offense erupted for 15 hits and 14 runs in a 14-2 rout in the nightcap.

Lukas Touma started the opener and struck out the side in all three innings he pitched before giving way to Nate Rhew. The latter struck out five and allowed just two hits in three innings on the mound. Kole Turner struck out the side in a 1-2-3 seventh inning to record the save.

Overall, Raiders hurlers struck out 17 batters in the first game.

Peyton Nelson had a pair of hits in the opener, while Brady Robertson added a double.

After the pitching stole the show in the first game, the bats came alive in the second game.

The Raiders scored at least two runs in each of the first four innings, including a six-run third inning that made it 11-0 after 2 1/2 innings.

Jordan Kelly had two doubles, while Nelson had three hits and four RBIs and Brady Robertson added three more hits and drove in three runs to lead the attack.

Kelly, Logan McIntyre and Jake Leeker each had a pair of hits, while McIntyre and Leeker each drove in a pair of runs.

Meanwhile, Daniel Munroe, Ty Thatcher and Bryce Stenzel combined on a five-inning no-hitter, combining for five strikeouts and five walks while allowing a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Three Rivers heads to southern Illinois for an afternoon game Wednesday against John A. Logan. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.