NEO Sports
Monty Franks
MIAMI — Erupting for 35 runs in 10 innings of two games Saturday, the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College Golden Norsemen swept a double-header 15-3 and 20-5 over Metropolitan Community College-Maple Woods at Homa Thomas Field.
With the sweep NEO is 6-2 on the season while the MCC-Maple Woods Monarchs of Kansas City, Missouri, are winless in three games.
The Golden Norse continue a 13-game home stand at 1 p.m. Thursday with a twinbill against Metropolitan Community College-Longview of Lee’s Summit, Missouri. The Division II MCC-Longview Lakers are 5-2 on the year.
Against the Monarchs, the Golden Norsemen erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the first inning, two in the second and six in the third to end the 15-3 game in five innings.
Key hits in the seven-run first inning for the Norsemen was a two-run single by Calem Nutting, an RBI double by Carter Nelson along with two runs scored as Jordan Blackmon reached on an error by Levi McLaughlin.
Blackmon proceeded to steal both second and third before scoring on a wild pitch.
Nutting doubled in the bottom of the second scoring Clay Richards for an 8-0 cushion. After a sacrifice fly to center by Bryson Lierle sent Nutting to third, Nelson grounded into a fielder’s choice scoring Nutting for a 9-0 lead.
A two-out single in the top of the third inning by Chase Beiter scored David Paffenroth for MCC-Maple Woods first run.
With two outs in the bottom of the third inning Reed Fell walked and Riley Keizor hit his second home run of the season.
Consecutive singles by Richards and Nutting increased the NEO lead to 12-1 in the third inning.
After Lierle singled, Troy Gagan doubled to right-center scoring both Nutting and Lierle for a 14-1 Norse advantage. Pinch hitter Matthew Gaskins singled to center scoring Gaskins for NEO’s final run.
Maple Woods touched NEO starter Claudio Ortiz (1-0) for two runs in the top of the fifth inning. Paffenroth doubled and Sean Cooley singled. Clayton Reish singled scoring Paffenroth. After Beiter walked, McLaughlin singled scoring Cooley for a 15-3 deficit.
Richards and Nutting collected three hits each to pace NEO’s 16-hit barrage. Nutting produced four runs batted in while Keizor, Nelson, Blackmon and Gagan added two RBI each.
Exploding for nine runs in both the first and fourth innings, the Golden Norsemen cruised to a 20-5 rout in the second game.
NEO received eight singles and five walks during the nine-inning marathon to start the game.
The Monarchs received a three-run homer by Mackey off NEO starter Bradley Kinsey (2-0) in the top of the second inning.
Lierle singled and came around to score on a bunt base hit by Fell to create a 10-3 margin through two innings.
A two-out walk by John Oliver and a single by Payton Toliver started the scoring for Maple Woods in the third inning. Mackey doubled scoring both runners for a 10-5 deficit.
Nutting walked, stole second and scored on a RBI single by Lierle in the bottom of the third inning.
Nutting delivered a grand-slam home run (2) along with and RBI double by Lierle and RBI singles by Matthew Gaskins, Hayden Hall and Richards.
Lierle went 4-for-4 with two runs batted in to lead NEO’s offense while Keizor, Gagan, Hall and Matthew Patton added two hits each. Nutting generated five RBI.