OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Rogers State baseball took the opening game of the three-game series against No. 2 Oklahoma City University in Claremore, Okla. on Thursday. On Saturday, the Stars sought revenge and by all accounts that's what they walked away with along with a pair of victories over the No. 18 Hillcats.
The Stars run ruled the Diamond Cats in the opening game of the twin bill 10-0 in five innings. Game two didn't get better for the Cats as OCU came away with a 9-1 victory to claim the series with RSU.
GAME ONE
The Hillcats and Stars were held scoreless for the opening two and half innings before OCU jumped on the board with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. A Julien Pollard two-run homerun to centerfield put the Stars up 2-0.
Two more runs came in the bottom of the fourth for OCU on a Ruben Sosa bunt scoring Chad Carman and moved Kirk Walker to third. Walker scored in the next at-bat on a Brian Fisher sacrifice fly to right field giving OCU a 4-0 lead after four innings.
Miguel Beltran led off the home half of the fifth with a solo shot to right field. Matt Presley scored on a single up the middle by Carman. Scott Dalrymple's RBI single in the hole at short stop scored Dearth Parker. The Stars added another run on a single to right by Fisher scoring the courtesy runner Mark Purser. The game came to a close on a RBI single to left by Pollard scoring Sosa and giving OCU the 10-0 victory in five innings.
Rich Hawkins (9-3) earned the win going five innings allowing three hits, striking out one while issuing two walks.
Tyler Garner (6-3) received the loss as the Hillcat starter. Garner two and two-third innings giving up two earned runs on four hits walking two and striking out four.
GAME TWO
In the nightcap of the twin bill both squads didn't allow a run in the first three innings before OCU broke the seal as Matt Presley doubled to right scoring Julien Pollard and Kirk Walker. Austin Messerli singled through the left side of the infield scoring Matt Presley and putting the Stars up 3-0 after four.
Dearth Parker scored on a single through the hole at short stop by Pollard stretching the Stars lead to four runs. Presley blasted a three-run shot over the right field fence to put OCU up 7-0. Dalrymple doubled scoring Messerli and Purser, courtesy running for Dalrymple, scored on a double down the left field line by Fisher putting the Cats down 9-0.
RSU posted its lone run of the day as Colton Campbell crossed the plate in front of the tag on a fielder's choice RBI by Brandt Barnes. Keith Poverud was tagged out stretching shortstop to catcher to second base to end the game and give the Stars the 9-1 victory.
Terrance Jackson (3-0) registered the win for OCU after going six and two-third innings giving up one earned run on one hit walking seven and striking out seven.
Eric Faust (1-1) received the loss giving up three runs, one earned on six hits. The Winfield, Kan. native struck out one and allowed two walks as the Cats starter in game two.
Rogers State enters the 2011 Sooner Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament on Wednesday, May 4 as the four seed facing eight seed USAO in Plainview, Texas at 2 p.m. to start the round-robin, pod-format tournament.
