OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - The Rogers State softball season came to a close Friday at the Sooner Athletic Conference Softball Tournament in Oklahoma City, Okla. as the Hillcats were unable to hold on in the opening day of the tournament.
RSU opened the SAC Tournament with a loss to Oklahoma City 9-5 and push the Hillcats into the losers bracket. The Cats claimed a 2-1 victory over USAO in eight innings to stay alive in the tournament. Southern Nazarene eliminated RSU 3-2 in the Hillcats third game of the day.
GAME ONE
The Stars jumped on the Hillcats early as Lily LaVelle homered to center field to give OCU a 1-0 lead in the first inning. OCU added another two runs on a shot by Shari Misuraca to right field. LaVelle added another solo shot to give the Stars a 4-0 lead after two.
RSU answered as Brittany White double to left scoring Logan Zamora and Katrina Loy cutting the OCU lead to 4-2. The Stars added another run in the third off a LeeAnn Lopez single scoring Brittany Caruthers to right and stretching the lead by three runs.
Katrina Loy started the Hillcat fourth inning off right with a two run homerun pulling the score to 5-4 OCU. The Cats tied the contest as Angelina Vines scored on a passed ball and tying the game at 5-5 after five innings.
The Stars added three go ahead runs in the sixth inning and added an insurance run in the seventh inning to give OCU the 9-5 victory.
Lily Lavelle (24-7) earned the win for the Stars going three innings in relief giving up just one hit and striking out three. A.J. Woodward got the start giving up five earned runs on four hits while walking three and striking out six.
Katie Bointy (1-3) received the loss in three innings pitched giving up three earned runs on two hits and walking two. Amanda Edwards got the start for RSU going four innings giving up six earned runs on nine hits and striking out six.
GAME TWO
USAO put the first runs on the board in the second as Laci Weger-Garrett singled to right center scoring Sara Reeves to give the Drovers the 1-0 lead.
RSU responded in the fourth as Ashlie Fauchier scored on a ground out to short stop by Taran Threet to tie the game at 1-1.
It took extra innings for the Hillcats to claim the victory as Lindsey Curtis solo shot gave RSU the 2-1 lead in the eighth. RSU was able to sit down the Drovers in the bottom half of the eighth as USAO left one runner stranded.
Amanda Edwards (19-12) went the complete eight innings for the win giving up one earned run on seven hits. The Trail, British Columbia native struck out three batters while not issuing a walk.
Neesha Sorrell received the loss in relief for USAO giving up one earned run on one hit in three innings pitched while striking out two. The Drovers season came to an end with the loss to the Hillcats.
GAME THREE
In the nightcap the Hillcats faced elimination for the second time in just a few hours and came out swinging the bats with the intent of playing on Saturday.
Ashlie Fauchier singled to start the contest and eventually scored on a single to left field by Taran Threet giving RSU the 1-0 lead after a half inning of play.
Fauchier singled to left field scoring Katie Bointy in the second inning putting the Hillcats up 2-0 after the visitors half of the second inning over the Crimson Storm.
SNU responded with a pair of runs in the fourth inning as Kristina Forest singled to centerfield socirng Katie Hale. Forest scored on a Keli Billups single to rightfield to tie the game at 2-2.
Southern Nazarene was able to claim the victory in the bottom of the seventh inning as Katie Turner singled to right field scoring Aubrey Jones giving SNU the 3-2 victory.
Amanda Edwards (19-13) received the loss going six innings giving up three earned runs on nine hits striking out four and issuing two walks.
Kaci Crawford (21-6) earned the win in relief going five and one-third innings giving up three hits and struck out seven batters.
Southern Nazarene with the win moves on to face Oklahoma Christian on Saturday, May 7.
Rogers State (33-28, 9-17) closes the season after knocking off three top 25 teams during the season. Coach Mark Dicus' squad graduates seven seniors from this year's team and will look to welcome back nine players that saw time in 2011.
