Raiders, Lady Raiders have pair of rough Saturdays on diamond

The Three Rivers College baseball team ran into a buzzsaw over the weekend as it wrapped up a four-game home-and-home series with the Jefferson College Vikings.

After dropping a pair of games at Jeffco on Friday, the Raiders hosted Jefferson Saturday and had similar results, losing the opener 8-2 and the nightcap 24-4.

In the opener, six of the Vikings’ 13 hits went for extra bases as Jefferson scored four runs in the top of the fourth inning and three more in the top of the fifth to break open a close contest.

Three Rivers scored solitary runs in the sixth and seventh innings, but could not get back in the contest.

Manny Alberto had three hits on the day for the Raiders, while Peyton Nelson added a pair.

Stuart Tharle started and took the loss for TRC, allowing five runs, six hits and a walk while striking out three in four innings of work. Steven Henley struck out six in 2 2/3 innings of relief while allowing a pair of earned runs.

Jeffco scored eight runs in the top of the second inning of the nightcap to quickly take command, then added 11 more in the top of the fourth to break the game wide open.

The Raiders managed five hits in the contest, two of them by Nelson.

Six Raider hurlers combined to allow 23 hits and eight walks in five innings of work.

Three Rivers (28-19) is back in action Tuesday with a pair of games at Southwest Tennessee State. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.

__Lady Raiders drop pair at West Plains__

The Three Rivers College softball team had problems of its own when it made the trek west Saturday to take on the Missouri State University-West Plains Grizzlies, dropping the opener 2-1 and the nightcap 10-0.

In the opener, the Lady Raiders lost despite a stellar outing on the rubber from Emma Crabb. The lefthanded hurler allowed four hits, two runs and no walks in six innings of work while striking out 11. But a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth by West Plains’ Alexis Funkhouser proved to be the difference in the game.

Josie Bezzole homered in the top of the sixth inning for Three Rivers’ only run.

In the nightcap, the Grizzlies got two Funkhouser homers and pounded out 10 hits overall as they rolled past TRC.

The Lady Raiders managed just three singles off of West Plains hurler Jordyn Foley.

Three Rivers is back in action Tuesday when it hosts a doubleheader against Crowder. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.