PORTSMOUTH, Ohio -- Shawnee State (Ohio) University won the first game of the River States Conference baseball series over (RV) Point Park University, 11-7, on Friday from Branch Rickey Park. 

The Bears (14-16, 8-5 RSC) scored four in the eighth inning to break a 7-7 tie and take the opening contest.

Point Park (19-9, 10-3 RSC) continues the series at SSU with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 30 at 12 p.m. It's a matchup of the top two teams in the RSC East Division standings. 

The teams combined for 27 hits on Friday with SSU having the final push to win a back and forth game. 

Point Park was facing an early deficit of 2-0 but tied things up with a pair of runs in the top of the second. The Pioneers were again trailing, 3-2, but tied things up at 3-3 on Jared Campbell's solo homer in the top of the third. Campbell was 4 for 6 on the day.

The Pioneers took their biggest lead of 6-3 after three runs and four hits in the fourth. Point Park did it on the base paths with a base hit by Omar Morillo bringing in a run and later Morillo scoring on a first-and-third steal involving Jared Campbell. With two outs, Michali Brito added an RBI single. Carlos Martinez, who was 2 for 4, starting the rally with a walk and ran the bases well. 

Shawnee State knotted things up at 6-6 with Nolan Tressler's three-run homer in the bottom half. Point Park then took its final lead of 7-6 in the fifth when Campbell delivered an RBI single. Crixtian Taveras had led off with a single and stolen second base. 

Point Park was holding on to the 7-6 lead with starting pitcher Javier Cardoso ahead. The Miami, Fla., native struck out 10 and walked none. That helped him work around seven hits in hi s 6.0 innings. 

A big factor in the game was SSU reliever Carson Wireman. He pitched the final 4.0 innings to get the win and improve to 4-0. He did not allow a run in the sixth, seventh, eighth or ninth and limited the Pioneers to three hits. 

Point Park's 15 hits had Campbell in with four, Brito going 3 for 4 and Morillo, Carlos Martinez and Chris Williams picking up two hits apiece.