The Three Rivers College baseball team used a very, very big inning to pull out a win against the Mineral Area College Cardinals in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader at Roger Pattillo Field.

The Raiders scored 10 runs in the bottom of the fifth inning — all with two out — to erase a two-run deficit and ultimately pull out an 11-6 win over MAC in Thursday's opener.

It was a different story in the nightcap, as the Cardinals beat Three Rivers 11-8.

In the opener, TRC trailed 3-1 going to the bottom of the fifth when it rallied in a big way.

With two out, Peyton Nelson scored on a wild pitch to open the rally, then Mason Krznarich scored the tying run when Cooper McClure drew a bases-loaded walk. Brady Robertson then singled home Trey Fikes to put the Raiders in front, then McClure and Tanner Duncan scored on Grant Fitch's base hit to make it 6-3 TRC.

Nelson then came back to the plate and doubled home Robertson to make it 7-3, then Manny Alberto took a 2-1 pitch over the rightfield fence for a three-run homer and a 10-3 lead. Fikes later singled home Eli Marvin to cap the 10-run rally.

Nelson, Fikes and Robertson each had two hits in the first game, while Alberto drove in three runs and the duo of Fikes and Grant Fitch each drove in two.

Colton Sims started and earned the win, going five-plus innings and allowing four earned runs, seven hits and two walks while striking out seven.

In the nightcap, the score was tied 7-7 after seven innings when the Cardinals scored a run in the top of the eighth and three more in the top of the ninth to take a four-run lead.

Three Rivers (26-13) did not give up, as Marvin doubled in the bottom of the ninth inning and later scored on an error to make it 11-8. The Raiders had the bases loaded and the winning run at the dish, but MAC got the final out to quell the rally.

Marvin, Nelson and Krznarich each had two hits, while Krznarich homered and drove in five runs.

Three Rivers is back in action Saturday when it heads to Mineral Area for a doubleheader. The two teams were originally scheduled to play at MAC on Thursday and here on Saturday, but decided to swap host sites for the two doubleheaders due to the weather forecast.

Mike Buhler - Daily American Republic