TAHLEQUAH, Okla. - The Newman baseball team kicked off the final non-conference series of the season with a split at Northeastern State Saturday afternoon at Rousey Field in Tahlequah, Okla. The Jets took a 19-3 win in the first game, but fell in the second game, 4-3.

Game 1: Newman 19, Northeastern State 3
Newman (26-16) scored early and often in Saturday's series opener. With Terrell Brown on base after a single through the left side, Tyler Hancock blasted a pitch over the right field fence, and gave the Jets an early 2-0 first-inning lead.

The Jets doubled their lead with two more runs in the second. David Longmore singled through the right side, then moved to third on Shanan Engroff's double to center. Ben Wagner cashed in on Longmore and Engroff, plating the pair on a single to left field, and pushing the Newman lead to 4-0.

Ruben Marrero found his stride in the third inning, sending his first pitch of the at-bat over the left field fence, and pushing the Newman lead to 5-0. Marrero struck again in the fifth. After Wagner doubled to left, and Brown reached on a fielding error at third base, Marrero bombed a 2-2 pitch over the left-field fence, a three-run long ball that pushed Newman's lead to 8-0.

Northeastern State (22-24) scored their first runs of the game in its half of the fifth. The Riverhawks used two hits to plate two runs, and narrowed the Newman advantage to 8-2, but that wasn't enough to threaten the Jets. Newman plated a single run in the sixth, and added 10 more, thanks in part to Marrero's third home run, and Tanner Vinson grand slam, and turned a six-run lead into a 16-run domination. When the dust finally settled, Newman had run away with the 19-3 win.

Ruben Marrero led the way for the Newman offense. Marrero was responsible for nine of Newman's 19 runs, finishing 3-for-4 at the plate with four runs scored and five more added in. Each member of Newman's starting lineup recorded a hit in Saturday's first game.

Newman starter Kyle Burkhardt allowed two earned runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts in six innings of work while improving to 8-4 on the season.

Game 2: Northeastern State 4, Newman 3
Saturday's second game was a far cry from the opener. Neither team was able to score in the first two inning, but Newman (26-17) finally struck in the third. Ben Wagner singled through the left side with one out in the inning, then moved to second when Terrell Brown grounded out to third, Tyler Hancock's double to left center plated Wagner, and gave Newman a 1-0 lead in the third inning.

Northeastern State (23-24) used four hits and an error on its way to three runs, and took its first lead of the series with a 3-1 advantage after three innings of play.

The Jets answered in the fifth inning. With the bases loaded, Tyler Hancock doubled to right field, and plated Wagner and Tanner Vinson, who each reached on fielder's choice plays, and tied the seven-inning game at 3-3 with two innings remaining.

The game remained tied at 3-3 until the seventh inning. The Riverhawks opened the inning with a single, and advanced their runner all the way to third with two outs. Newman appeared on its way to sending the game into extra innings when a routine ground ball was fielded by Hancock, but his throw across the diamond was errant, and NSU's winning run was able to score. The run gave Northeastern State the 4-3 win.

Tyler Hancock led the way for the Newman offense, finishing 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBI. He was the only Newman batter to record a multi-hit effort.

Newman starter Brandon Droge allowed four runs (one earned) on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks in six innings of work, but fell to 7-5 on the season.

With Saturday's split, the Jets move to 26-17 on the season. They will conclude the series Sunday afternoon, weather permitting, at Rousey Field in Tahlequah.