OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - The No. 19-ranked Rogers State baseball team opened Sooner Athletic Conference play with an 11-4 victory over Oklahoma Christian on Thursday afternoon at Dobson Field.
Five different RSU players tallied two hits as the Hillcats recorded 15 hits in their 10th straight victory of the season.
OC opened the game with a 1-0 lead in the first frame thanks to an RBI single by Dillon Andrews. However, it was the only lead the Eagles would hold in the contest.
RSU took over in the top of the second, scoring two runs on one hit. With the bases loaded, senior Cade McKewon hit a sacrifice fly to center field, allowing Cody Campbell to score. Pinch runner Taylor Estes gave the Hillcats the lead as he stole home with two outs.
After a scoreless third inning, the Diamond Cats tallied three more runs in the fourth, all with two outs on the scoreboard. With bases loaded, Keith Poverud hit a two RBI single through the middle to ignite the scoring. Junior Eric Baker followed with an RBI single to give RSU a 5-1 advantage.
Chris Miller belted a solo shot in the bottom of the fourth to give the Eagles a spark but the Hillcat offense produced three more runs in the top of the fifth. With two outs, Colton Campbell registered a two-run RBI single and McKewon ripped a RBI single to give Coach Ron Bradley's squad some breathing room.
After giving up a run in the bottom of the seventh, RSU senior Randy Ramirez laced a two-out double deep down the left field line to score a pair of runs in the top of the eighth. Colton Campbell added an RBI in the top of the ninth and Jerry Owen tallied a solo home run in the bottom half of the inning for OC to reach the final margin.
Eric Faust tallied the win on the mound for the Diamond Cats as he tossed six innings and scattered four hits, allowing one earned run while fanning seven. The south paw from Winfield, Kan. entered the contest in the first inning, following the injury of starter Brandon Bargas.
Colton Campbell led the Cats as he went 2-for-5 with three RBIs.
Rogers State (10-0) returns to action the weekend as the Hillcats host Baker University (Kan.) in a four-game series. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. on Saturday at Legion Field in Claremore. The games will be streamed live at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.
