CLAREMORE, Okla. - Third-ranked Oklahoma City University completed a three-game sweep over Rogers State with two wins Saturday afternoon at the Hillcat Complex in Claremore.
 

OCU starter Mike Richard shutdown the Hillcats in the opener en route to a 7-2 victory. In the nightcap RSU battled back from a four-run deficit to make it a one-run game heading into the final inning. However, the Stars spoiled the Cats' plans for an upset with four runs in the top of the seventh to post a 9-4 win.

GAME ONE
 

Steve Vitale was a one-man wrecking crew for the Stars in game one. The senior transfer went 4 for 4 with two home runs, a double, a triple and six runs batted in.
 

Vitale started the show with a solo homer to left-field in the top of the first inning. He added an RBI double in the top of the third to make it 2-0. The Hillcats answered with a run in the bottom of the inning as Tyler Harold and Luis Caraballo ripped consecutive singles to right-field.
 

Terrance Jackson doubled to start the fifth and Kirk Walker reached on an error ahead of Vitale. The Stars' third baseman promptly smashed a two-run triple into the right-field gap. He needed a single to complete the cycle in the seventh. Instead, he hammered a two-run homer over the right-field wall to put the finishing touches on the victory.
 

Brandt Barnes and Tyler Harold swatted back-to-back doubles to start the seventh inning, but the Cats could get no closer. Caraballo led RSU with three hits in the contest.
 Richard (6-1) earned the complete-game victory, allowing just two runs on nine hits. Grant Cosby (3-3) lost his third straight decision after giving up seven runs, five earned, on 11 hits.

GAME TWO
 

The Hillcats absorbed a big blow to start the nightcap as OCU scored four runs with two outs in the first inning. Chad Carman ripped a 0-2 pitch down the left-field line to produce the first run of the game and Nathan Bryan followed with a three-run triple on a 0-2 pitch moments later.
 

The resilient Diamond Cats bounced back with runs in the second, third and fourth innings to cut the deficit to one. Joe Manbodh delivered an RBI double in the second and Caraballo followed suit in the third. A solo homer by Carman made it 5-3 in the top of the fourth before Harold smacked a double to right in the bottom of the inning. Harold's knock scored Barnes and brought RSU back to within one.
 

Brad Riddle came on in relief of OCU starter Terrance Jackson in the fifth. Riddle quieted the Hillcat bats the rest of the way. He allowed no runs and just one hit over the final three frames.
 

After giving up a pair of singles in the seventh, Garner gave way to the RSU bullpen. Relievers Drew Taylor, Jordan Clark and Casey Cassity combined to record one out while allowing four runs to score. Freshman Frensly Martina recorded the final out as the Cats used five pitchers in the innings. The game was out of reach by the time RSU came to the plate for its final at-bat.
 

Jackson (3-1) earned the win while Riddle picked up a three-inning save. Garner (5-3) was tagged with the loss after giving up seven runs on 10 hits. Walker and Carman tallied three hits apiece for the Stars while Caraballo notched two hits to finish on the day with five.
 

Rogers State (15-12, 5-10) was swept in its third consecutive conference series while Oklahoma City (26-6, 11-1) maintained its grasp on first place in the Sooner Athletic Conference standings. The Hillcats will look to break the streak next week with a non-conference date against Oklahoma Wesleyan on Tuesday. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. at the Hillcat Complex and the game will be carried live on RSU Radio 91.3 FM.