CLAREMORE, Okla.- The Rogers State baseball team swept its second consecutive Sooner Athletic Conference series on Saturday afternoon with a pair of wins over Mid-America Christian on senior day at Hillcat Complex. The Hillcats used 10 hits, including two home runs, to dominate opener, 9-1. In the nightcap, RSU fended off the Evangels late rally to seal the 7-5 victory. The Hillcats took the opening game of the series 9-0 on Thursday in Oklahoma City.
GAME ONE
Junior Colton Campbell belted a two-out solo shot over the left field fence in the bottom of the first to break the scoreless tie. Senior Lance Rymel followed with a double down the left field line. Courtesy runner Taylor Estes scored on the next at bat thank to an error by the MACU third baseman.
The Hillcats added to their lead in the third. Hector Rivera sparked the offense with a one-out single up the middle and Colton Campbell followed with a double to right-center field. Lance Rymel drove bother runners in with a double in the left-center gap. Estes stole third and scored on a groundout by Cody Campbell. The stole base was the Broken Arrow, Okla. native's 21st of the season. Poverud capped off the scoring with a two-out RBI single through the left side of the infield as the Hillcat led 6-0.
RSU tacked on two more runs in the fourth with RBI singles by Colton Campbell and Rymel.
The Evangels avoided the shutout in the sixth as they plated a run with a sacrifice fly by Jon Jon Lemos. However, RSU matched the run with an Emmanuel De La Cruz solo shot over the center field fence. It was the New York, New York native's fourth home run of the season.
Brandon Bargas (6-2) earned the win on the mound as he tossed five scoreless innings and allowed just two walk while fanning five. Senior Jim Minor tossed the sixth and allowed one run on two hits with one strikeout. Senior Drew Taylor closed out the seventh, allowing one hit with one strikeout.
Colton Campbell and Rymel were both 3-for-3 on the day. Campbell drove in two runs and scored twice while Rymel tallied three RBI.
GAME TWO
The nightcap didn't start the way RSU pitcher Kyle Duncan would have like it to as Shane Brinker led off the first frame with home run over the left field fence. With one out, the Evangels loaded the bases but were unable to produce a run as Duncan forced back-to-back ground outs to end the inning.
MACU did not hold the lead for long as RSU took it over in the home half of the first. Rivera belted a double and Colton Campbell followed with a single to put runner on the corners with one out. Rymel tallied a RBI ground out to send Rivera home and Campbell scored later in the inning thanks to a pass ball.
Duncan faced the minimum in the top of the second and the Hillcats added to their lead in the bottom of the frame. De La Cruz hit a two run homer to get the scoring started in the inning. It was his second roundtrip of the day and fourth on the week. Baker singled to right field and advanced to third as the right fielder misplayed the ball. He scored on a wild pitch.
After a scoreless third, Randy Ramirez led off the fourth with a double and Cade McKewon traded places with him in the next at bat. Baker drove in McKewon with a double and the Cats took a 7-1 lead into the fifth.
The Evangels tallied runs in each of the last three innings. Trailing 7-3, MACU kept the game interesting in the top of the seventh. The inning started with consecutive singles and Luis Martinez was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Taylor Daniels hit a one-out single to score two runs, however Duncan forced the next two batters to ground out and end the game.
Duncan (6-1) received the win on the mound for RSU. The Bedford, Texas native allowed five runs on 10 hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
Baker was the only Hillcat with multiple hits in the game as he went 2-for-3 with a RBI and one run scored.
Rogers State (39-12, 20-10) will return to action on Tuesday as the Hillcats face Northeastern State at ONEOK Field, home of the Tulsa Drillers, at 3 p.m.
