CLAREMORE, Okla. - Rogers State slipped past Oklahoma Wesleyan for a 5-4 victory in 11 innings Tuesday night at the Hillcat Complex in Claremore.
 

Junior Brandt Barnes picked up the game-winning RBI with a sacrifice fly to centerfield as Rob Rodriguez raced home from third with the decisive run.
 

The Hillcats scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 4-1 advantage. Kevin Radford led off the inning with a double and Jairo Valdez followed with an RBI single. Barnes cranked a two-run triple down the left-field line and scored on a double by Luis Caraballo. However, the Cats would not score again until their final at-bat.
 

The Eagles cut the lead to 4-2 with a run in the top of the seventh and the evened the score with two runs in the eighth. Reliever Jake Taylor hit the first batter of the eighth inning and walked the next OWU hitter on four pitches. He was promptly lifted in favor of lefthander Casey Cassity. OWU reached Cassity for a sacrifice fly and an RBI double to tie the game at 4-4.
 

Cassity (2-0) bounced back with three straight scoreless innings to put himself in position for the win. The freshman allowed just two hits and struck out six over the final four innings to record his second career pitching victory. Zack Michel took the loss for the Eagles after giving up the final run in the eleventh.
 

RSU starter Cristian Baez turned in a strong performance in his first start of the year. He scattered seven hits across seven innings of work and exited the game with a 4-2 lead. OWU starter Nick Randolph gave up four runs on six hits over the first five frames.
 

Caraballo continued to swing a hot bat for the Hillcats. The senior shortstop went 3 for 5 while upping his batting average to .444. Barnes and Radford tallied two hits apiece for the Cats while Jonathan Porter led the Eagles with three.
 

Rogers State (18-14) improved to 2-0 against Oklahoma Wesleyan (13-22) on the season. The Hillcats will travel to Wichita, Kan., Wednesday to face Division I powerhouse Wichita State. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m. and the can be heard live at www.shockerradio.com.