The Three Rivers College baseball team dropped two out of three games in its season-opening series over the weekend against North Iowa Area Community College. The Raiders lost Saturday's series opener 6-4, then split a doubleheader Sunday, downing the Trojans 5-3 in the opener and falling by the same score in the nightcap.

In Sunday's opener, Three Rivers took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, then added two more runs in the top of the second to give winning pitcher Stuart Tharle all the support he would need.

Tharle pitched five innings and allowed just two hits and one unearned run while striking out five and walking one. Hayden Cuthbertson pitched the final two innings.

Peyton Nelson had two hits, a homer, and drove in a pair of runs, while Mason Krznarich also drove in a pair.

The Raiders and NIACC were tied 3-3 after five innings, but the Trojans scored twice in the top of the sixth to take the lead for good.

Krznarich had a pair of hits, including a double, while Cooper McClure drove in two runs.

Ty Thatcher took the loss in relief of starter Bryce Stenzel, who struck out five while allowing four hits and two unearned runs in three innings of work.

In Saturday's contest, NIACC scored six runs in the top of the fourth to erase an early deficit and take the lead for good.

Nelson, Krznarich, McClure and Brady Robertson each had two hits in the loss, while Nelson and Krznarich each doubled twice.

Colton Sims started and took the loss for Three Rivers, allowing six hits and four runs in 3 1/3 innings of work. He struck out four.

The Raiders are back in action Tuesday at Shawnee in southern Illinois.

Mike Buhler - Daily American Republic