Booneville, MS – Riding high off their win over the top ranked team in the NJCAA the previous weekend, Northeast baseball hit the road towards Holmes where a hit parade for the Tigers in game one gave them an early win before falling short in game two to head back to Booneville with a series split. 

Brett Haas opened the flood gates in the top of the second with a long ball out to left field for the first of six runs in the inning, with Brody Winemiller hitting an RBI double to left center that drove in Gavin Puckett followed by a 3-RBI double from Conner McKnatt to right center who later scored off a single from Colin Flurry for a 6-0 lead. 

Flurry's next at back in the top of the fourth had the same outcome in his previous appearance with an RBI single to further the lead for Northeast and quickly scored himself thanks to a sacrifice fly from Haas. McKnatt made it a double figures lead in the fifth by doubling to center field to bring home Hank Eaton and put the game in run rule territory, leading the Bulldogs 10-0. Holmes responded in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings with a solo bomb kicking off four straight runs to close the gap down to 10-4. 

Eaton pulled the momentum back into the favor of the Tigers with a 2-RBI double to left field while Trae Cagle took one for the team with a hit by pitch to advance the loaded bases to make it a 13-4 score entering the final inning where Holmes could not respond resulting in a game one win for Northeast. 

Key Stats from Game 1:

• McKnatt recorded his third win on the mound in the 2026 season, pitching 5.0 innings with two strikeouts
• Five batters for the Tigers recorded multiple hits
  • Eaton went 3-for-4 at the plate with four runs and two doubles 
  • McKnatt went 2-for-5 at the plate with 4-RBI with both his hits resulting in doubles

Holmes grabbed game two over Northeast with nine straight runs that the Tigers were unable to match. Northeast could not repeat their success at the plate from game one with the third and fourth innings being retired in order. Only two runs were scored for the Tigers in game two with McKnatt connecting on a 2-RBI single through the right side that allowed Winemiller and Easton Fesmire to round the bases and get on the scoreboard for what finalized as a 9-2 loss for a series split. 

Key Stats from Game 2: 

• McKnatt was the only player for Northeast to record multiple hits in game two, going 3-for-3 at the plate with a 2-RBI single to finish the game. 

Northeast now improves to 17-16 overall on the 2026 season with a conference record of 4-4. The Tigers will be back at home this Saturday with a matchup against #25 Copiah-Lincoln with first pitch scheduled for 2:00 PM to kick off the doubleheader.