BARTLESVILLE, Okla. - The Rogers State softball team registered a pair of wins at Oklahoma Wesleyan on Tuesday afternoon in Bartlesville.
The Hillcats plated 20 runs and cranked out 26 hits en route to a doubleheader sweep over OWU. RSU fell behind in the opener however; the Cats quickly recovered to tally an 11-5 win. In the night cap, RSU earned a 9-1 run-rule victory in six innings.
GAME ONE
Ashlie Fauchier belted a RBI double to deep left-center field, allowing Kaitlin McCool to score in the top of the first. OWU answered in the bottom half of the inning with three runs on three hits.
After a scoreless second frame, RSU regained the lead in the third inning. Kirsten Leppla, McCool and Fauchier hit consecutive singles to load the bases. Shona Guerrero followed with a single off the wall in center field to score two runs. Taran Threet gave the Cats the lead with an RBI groundout. Niki Keck increased the RSU lead in the fourth with a two-run blast over the center field fence and Katrina Loy belted an RBI double to increase the lead to 7-3. The Lady Eagles kept things interesting by plating two runs in the bottom of the fifth to cut the deficit to 7-5.
Linsey Curtis belted a grand slam in the top of the seventh to secure the 11-5 victory.
Laura Fleck (3-0) earned the win in the circle for RSU as she tossed 5.1 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits with two strikeouts.
Fauchier went 4-for-4 with one RBI and three runs scored to lead RSU on offense.
GAME TWO
Cutis blasted a first-pitch solo shot in the top of the second to break a scoreless tie and the Hillcats never looked back. RSU added two more runs in the top of the third with an RBI single by Loy and a sacrifice fly by Threet.
In the top of the fourth, the Hillcats stringed together four consecutive doubles, five hits in all, to add four runs to the advantage. The Lady Eagles managed to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth with the help of a RSU error.
McCool capped off the scoring and completed the run-rule with a two-run homer over the center field fence.
Ashley Wailand (1-0) earned her first win of the season on the circle. The senior right-handed pitcher tossed four innings and allowed one run on four hits with one strikeout.
Rogers State (4-0) returns to action on Saturday as the Hillcats open their home slate against Grand View University at Claremore High School Softball Complex.
