Raiders take three of four games, win series at State Fair

SEDALIA, Mo. — The Three Rivers College baseball team shook off a loss in the opener of a four-game series with the State Fair Roadrunners to win the final three games and take the series.

The Raiders lost last Friday’s opener 9-8, but won the nightcap 12-7. TRC then swept both games Saturday by scores of 12-4 and 10-7, respectively, to complete the series triumph.

Up 5-3 after six innings in the first game Saturday, Three Rivers (25-12) scored seven runs in the top of the seventh inning to break the game wide open.

Cooper McClure had three hits in the game, while Brady Robertson added a pair. Nicolas Hawkins drove in three runs, while Peyton Nelson drove in a pair.

Stuart Tharle started and earned the win for the Raiders, going six innings and allowing seven hits, three runs and two walks while striking out five.

TRC traied 6-3 after five innings of Saturday’s nightcap when the team scored five runs in the top of the sixth inning to take the lead.

Grant Fitch, Eli Marvin, Mason Krznarich and Tanner Duncan each had a pair of hits, while K.J. Merriweather drove in three runs and the duo of Krznarich and Manny Alberto each drove in a pair.

Tyler Vincent came in during the fifth inning and tossed 4 2/3 innings of one-run relief to earn the win. He allowed five hits and walked two while striking out seven.

In Friday’s opener, Three Rivers trailed 7-3 after six innings, but scored five time in the top of the seventh to take an 8-7 lead. However, the host Roadrunners scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning to take the win.

Merriweather had two hits and drove in three runs, while Robertson drove in a pair.

In Friday’s nightcap, State Fair led 5-0 after one inning, but the Raiders chipped away and scored five runs in the top of the fifth to go up 8-6 and never trail again.

Fitch had four hits and drove in five runs, while Krznarich homered twice and drove in four runs. Duncan added four hits and also drove in a pair of runs.

Aaron Fitch tossed three innings of one-hit, scoreless relief for the win, while Jaden Anderson earned a rare four-inning save.

TRC is back in action Thursday when it heads to Mineral Area for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for noon.

__SOFTBALL__

__Crowder sweeps Lady Raiders__

The Three Rivers Lady Raiders ran into a buzzsaw when they headed to Neosho on Saturday to take on the Crowder Lady Roughriders.

Crowder took the first game 9-0, then also won the nightcap 8-2.

TRC (21-15) managed just two hits off of Lady Roughrider hurler Jensyn Elder in the opener. She struck out seven, allowed two hits and no walks while also hitting a batter. Elder faced three batters over the minimum to earn the win.

Things didn’t go much better in the nightcap for the Lady Raiders.

TRC led 1-0 after two innings, but the Lady Roughriders scored three runs in the bottom of the third and four more in the bottom of the fifth to break the game open.

Alyssa Bastien was a bright spot for the Lady Raiders in the contest, going 3-for-3 with a solo homer.

Three Rivers is back in action Tuesday with a doubleheader at St. Charles. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.