EDMOND, Okla. - Rogers State baseball opened the Sooner Athletic Conference schedule with a bang run-ruling Oklahoma Christian 15-4 Tuesday in seven innings. The win continued the longest winning streak in program history with 13.
The Hillcat run party really got going in the top of the seventh, as RSU tallied eight runs on 6 hits. Randy Ramirez singled to left to start the inning and Cody Campbell followed suit with a single to move Ramirez to third. An RBI single to right by Keith Poverud scored Ramirez.
Two batters later, catcher Lance Rymel singled up the middle to score Campbell from second and advanced Poverud to third. OC went to the bullpen replacing Riley Jones with Bret Rodgers. Taylor Estes, pinch running for Rymel, stole second putting two runners in scoring position. Two batters later, Brandt Barnes reached on an intentional walk and Cade McKewon advanced on a walk to score Poverud. Things got worse for the Eagles as Colton West was walked scoring Estes from third with the bases loaded.
OC went to the bullpen yet again this time calling upon Harrison Mendez to get the Eagles out of a bases loaded situation. A two RBI single by Ramirez through the hole at short stop scored Barnes and McKewon. West moved to third on a Mendez balk and scored on a double by Campbell that also scored Ramirez from second.
RSU gave a preview of the seventh just an inning earlier, in the sixth, as Rymel hit a two run home run to left to score Billy Balak. Barnes later scored on a McKewon sacrifice fly to center to give Coach Ron Bradley's squad a three run, top of the sixth and the 7-4 lead. A three-up, three-down bottom of the sixth by OC set the tone for the offensive output for RSU in the seventh.
Barnes opened the game with a single past the second baseman and scored two batters later on a RBI double by West giving the Hillcats the 1-0 lead after the first half inning. The Eagles responded on a two-run home run by shortstop Jordan Price to left-center. The bomb by Price gave OC the 2-1 lead through one inning.
OC jumped to an early 4-1 lead after Heath Steele hit a two run home run in the bottom of the second inning.
The Diamond Cats responded with one run in the top of the third off a McKewon RBI double to put the score at 4-2 after three innings. Poverud scored on a Rymel sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth and Balak scored on a RBI single by Barnes to knot the game at 4-4 after four innings.
Tyler Garner (3-0) went six innings for the win, giving up four runs on six hits and walking one while striking out five. Eric Faust closed out the contest pitching just one inning facing three batters with all three flying out to end the contest.
Oklahoma Christian (8-3, 3-1) starter Clint Bowker received the loss after giving up five runs in five innings off of nine hits. Bowker struck out five and walked two. Riley Jones pitched one and a third innings giving up five earned runs off five hits with two strikeouts. Bret Rodgers gave up three earned runs in one-third of an inning pitched while walking three and not giving up a hit. Mendez pitched one-third innings giving up one run on two hits.
Rogers State (14-1, 1-0) will return home to the Hillcat Complex for a 4 p.m. first pitch vs. Mid-America Christian in a nine inning contest.
