Raiders split twin bill with State Fair

The Three Rivers College baseball team had a bittersweet ending to its four-game weekend series with State Fair.

After the Raiders pulled out a 4-2 win in the first game of a Saturday doubleheader with State Fair, the Roadrunners pounded out 16 hits in the nightcap to take an 11-6 win and salvage the split.

The loss ended TRC’s winning streak at five games, but the Raiders still took three of the four games in the series.

The score was tied 4-4 going to the bottom of the sixth inning in the opener when Three Rivers rallied.

Trent Buchanan was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, then Nolan Self doubled to put runners at second and third with one out. That set the table for Christian Cleary, whose base hit scored both and gave the Raiders a 6-4 lead.

Peyton Nelson singled and Brady Robertson walked to load the bases, then Logan McIntyre drew a bases-loaded walk to score Cleary and make it 7-4. Eli Marvin followed that with a deep flyball to centerfield that scored Nelson, then Tanner Duncan added a base hit to drive home McIntyre and cap the rally.

Nelson finished the game with three hits, while Self, Cleary and Duncan each had a pair. Cleary drove in three runs, while McIntyre, Marvin and Duncan each drove in two.

Ste got the win in relief of Kole Turner, tossing 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief while allowing a pair of hits and striking out a batter.

It was a different story in the second game, as the Roadrunners scored three runs in the top of the first inning and eventually build up a 7-1 lead midway through the fifth inning.

TRC did not give up, scoring a run in the bottom of the fifth inning and then scoring three times in the bottom of the six to get within two runs.

Duncan, Buchanan and Dalton Rudd all were either hit by pitch or walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth and load the bases. That set the table for Self, whose base hit score Duncan and made it a 7-3 game.

Cleary drew a bases-loaded walk to push home Buchanan, then Robertson added another base hit to score Rudd and make it a 7-5 game.

However, the Raiders came no closer and State Fair added three runs in the top of the ninth to put the game away.

Robertson paced TRC with three hits, while McIntyre and Nelson each added a pair.

The Raiders are back in action Tuesday when they host Moberly Area for an afternoon doubleheader. First pitch is set for noon.