CLAREMORE, Okla. - It took seven and a half hours and two rain delays for the Rogers State baseball team to complete the twin bill split against No. 2 Oklahoma City on Saturday afternoon at Hillcat Complex.
The Hillcats plated three runs in the third inning and junior pitcher Brandon Bargas tossed the complete-game as RSU earned a 3-1 win over OCU in the opener. The Diamond Cats let the nightcap slip through their fingertips as they gave up three runs in the seventh and the game-winning run in the eighth to fall 6-5. The Stars won the series with a 5-3 comeback victory on Thursday evening Jim Wade Stadium in Oklahoma City.
GAME ONE
The opener started an hour and a half late due to a heavy rain during the early afternoon hours.
The Hillcats tallied three runs in the third inning and held on the rest of the way to earn a 3-1 victory.
Bargas got things going offensively for the Hillcats in the third with a one-out double to deep right-center field and Eric Baker followed with a single. Junior Hector Rivera kept things going as he hit his first home run of the season over the right field fence, giving the Cats a 3-0 lead.
Bargas faced the minimum in the top of the fourth on the mound and got out of a jam in the fifth with back-to-back strikeouts. He kept them scoreless in the sixth, allowing just one hit.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, a rain delay was issued and the team had to tarp the field. After a thirty five minute delay, Ryan Gibson entered the game as a relief pitcher for OCU. The southpaw got out of the inning and gave the Stars one final chance to rally.
Pinch hitter Brayden Brumley led off the seventh for the Stars with a strikeout. Cody Ferrell doubled and Jonathan Sigado hit a two-out RBI single to keep the Stars alive. However, Bargas struck out Chris Munoz to end the game.
Bargas(4-2) earned the complete-game victory on the mound as he allowed one run on five hits while fanning 10.
GAME TWO
The Hillcats took a 5-2 lead into the top of the seventh in the nightcap but could not fend off OCU's rally as they fell, 6-5.
The Stars took an early 1-0 lead with a two-out RBI single by Dane Phillips in the top of the first. The Hillcats gained the lead in the third, as Bargas led off the in inning with a single and advance to second on a wild pitch. Baker drew a walk and Rivera laid down a sacrifice bunt, putting runners on second and third. Colton Campbell grounded out, allowing Bargas to score. Baker scored on a wild pitch to give the Hillcats the 2-1 lead.
OCU answered in the top of the fourth and knotted the score with a RBI double by Chad Carmen. Bargas led off the fifth inning with a walk and Baker hit a sacrifice bunt to put him in scoring position. Rivera followed with a double to send Bargas home and give RSU a 3-2 lead.
The Hillcats tacked on two more runs in the sixth with a RBI double by Keith Poverud and a wild pitch allowed Cade McKewon to score after drawing a walk earlier in the inning.
The game unraveled for the Hillcats in the top of the seventh as the Stars tallied three runs without registering a hit. The RSU pitching staff issued three walks, hit two batters and threw two wild pitches in the inning.
The Stars faced the minimum in the bottom of the seventh and earned the game-winning run in the top of the eighth. RSU gave up consecutive walks and OCU scored the winning run on a fielder's choice groundout.
Five pitchers saw time on the mound for the Cats as senior Zack Williams (3-2) suffered the loss, tossing two thirds of an inning, allowing one run on no hits with two walks. Starting pitcher, Kyle Duncan, tossed six innings and allowed three runs on four hits with five strikeouts. The RSU pitching staff allowed seven walks in the game and five batters were hit by a pitch.
Rogers State (32-11, 14-10) returns to action on Tuesday as the Hillcats travel to Tahlequah, Okla. to take on Northeastern State in a nine-inning affair with first pitch slated for 2 p.m.
