Unable to overcome a three-run third inning, the No. 9 ranked Northeastern A&M Golden Norsemen dropped a 5-4 decision in nine innings to No. 6 rated Crowder College Tuesday afternoon at Homa Thomas Field.


With the loss the Golden Norsemen are 13-5 on the season while the Crowder Roughriders are 18-3 on the year. NEO remains at home Saturday with a 1 p.m. non-conference double-header with the Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa Mavericks.
Crowder wasted little time grabbing the lead with a run in the top of the first inning off NEO's Keaton Hernandez. Cody Althouse walked, went to second on a fielder's choice by Chris Scroggins and scored on a RBI double by Tony Sandifer.
Sandifer singled to start the three-run top of the third for the Roughriders. Consecutive doubles by Matt Burgess and Ty White created a 3-0 Crowder cushion. After Ryan Lazo reached on a bunt single, Althouse singled scoring White for a 4-0 Roughrider lead.
Singles by Hector Candelaria and Alex Wise started a two-run rally for the Norsemen in the bottom of the third inning. Ramon Laureano doubled to right-center scoring both Candelaria and Wise for a 4-2 deficit.
With two outs in the top of the seventh inning, Crowder scored the eventual winning run on a walk by Samuel May, a wild pitch and a single by Althouse for a 5-2 margin.
NEO attempted a rally with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning. Candelaria singled to left. After Jonathon Stewart struck out, Wise hit his first home run of the season. Laureano flied out to left to end the game.
Candelaria had three of the nine Golden Norse hits while Wise and Laureano added two hits each.
Rickey Rivera (2-1) suffered the loss with 6.1 innings of relief of Hernandez. Rivera struck out six and walked two.
Standifer turned in a 4-for-5 performance at the plate to lead the 13-hit Roughriders attack. Althouse, Burgess and White contributed two hits each.
Andrew Schwaab pitched one inning to earn the victory.