The Three Rivers College baseball team ended the regular season in dramatic fashion as the Raiders earned an 11-10 walkoff win over the Rend Lake Warriors Tuesday at Roger Pattillo Field.
Three Rivers (33-21) and the Warriors were tied at 10 going to the bottom of the ninth inning when Manny Alberto hit a two-out triple to rightfield on a full count. That set the table for Eli Marvin, whose potential inning-ending groundball was misplayed, allowing Alberto to come home with the game-winner.
The Raiders led 9-5 after seven innings, but Rend Lake scored five times in the top of the eighth to take a 10-9 lead. The Warriors loaded the bases to open the inning, then added solitary runs on an error and hit batsman to cut the TRC lead to 9-7.
Braden Pingel then hit a game-tying double, and Rend Lake took a 10-9 lead when a pickoff throw went wild, allowing the Warriors to score the go-ahead run.
That lead did not last long, as Cooper McClure doubled with two out in the bottom of the eighth inning and came home on Grant Fitch’s base hit to tie the score at 10-all.
The Raiders pounded out 15 hits Tuesday, including four by Grant Fitch and two apiece by Alberto, Marvin, K.J. Merriweather and Mason Krznarich. Alberto, Marvin and Krznarich also drove in two runs each. Merriweather also stole three bases.
Noah Pruitt tossed an inning of hitless relief for the win.
__SOFTBALL__
__Lady Raiders sweep Arkansas State__
The Three Rivers College softball team picked up a pair of road wins Tuesday when they headed to Jonesboro, Arkansas to take on the Arkansas State Lady Red Wolves.
The Lady Raiders won the opener 9-0 and the nightcap 3-2.
In the opener, Emma Crabb no-hit the Lady Red Wolves, striking out 16 batters and allowing just two walks.
Camryn Casey had three hits on the day, while Abi Jorgensen, Clara Rahlmann and Josie Bezzole each had a pair of hits. Casey and Alyssa Bastien each drove in a pair of runs.
In the second game, the score was tied 2-2 after six innings when Madelyn Hefner reached on an error to lead off the top of the seventh and scored the go-ahead — and eventual winning — run on a wild pitch.
Natalie Wilks and Emma Crabb combined to limit Arkansas State to just six hits and no earned runs, while combining for nine strikeouts. Emma Crabb earned the win with 1 2/3 innings of hitless relief.
Lexi Davis had three hits, while Hefner drove in two runs.
Three Rivers (32-20) is slated to host a doubleheader with Mineral Area on Thursday. First pitch is set for 11 a.m.
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