Diamond Cats Slam Oklahoma Wesleyan, 10-4

Freshman Casey Cassity earned his first collegiate pitching victory Tuesday night (photo by gssphotography.com).

The Rogers State baseball team snapped a six-game losing streak with a 10-4 victory over Oklahoma Wesleyan Tuesday evening at the Hillcat Complex in Claremore.
 

A five-run fifth inning keyed the win as the Cats improved to 11-2 in non-conference action this season. Kevin Radford and Rob Rodriguez combined for six hits and five RBI to lead the offensive attack.
 

OWU came out swinging with three runs in the top of the first inning. Ryan Hutchings and JD Nalder opened the game with back-to-back doubles. Hutchings scored on a single by Jake Palese and Nalder raced home on a groundout by Chris Sexton.
 

RSU answered with four runs in the bottom of the second inning. Radford and Rodriguez ripped consecutive RBI singled up the middle to cap the rally. The Eagles used three straight hits to tie the game at 4-4 with a run in the top of the fourth. However, the Hillcats quickly went back on top with an unearned run in the bottom half of the inning.
 

Coach Ron Bradley’s squad put the game away with five runs in the sixth inning. Two walks and an error loaded the bases for Radford. The Tulsa, Okla., native hammered a bases clearing triple off the centerfield wall to make it 9-4. Rodriguez followed with an RBI single to reach the final margin.
 

The Hillcats used six pitchers in the victory. Freshman Casey Cassity (1-0) earned his first collegiate win with three innings of relief. The lefty allowed one run on four hits while striking out two. Reliever Nick Randolph (1-7) was tagged with the loss for OWU.
 

Rogers State (16-12) returns to Sooner Athletic Conference play on Thursday when it hosts Southern Nazarene at the Hillcat Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.