LUBBOCK, Texas –The Rogers State Hillcats, ranked 15 in the NAIA Baseball Coaches' Poll, fell in Saturday's doubleheader versus No. 6 Lubbock Christian and in turn was swept in the regular season series by the Chaps at Hays Field.
The Diamond Cats dropped game one 3-0 and fell in getaway game 9-4 as the Chaps scored in all but one inning of game two.
GAME ONE
In the first game Saturday the Cats couldn't make the most of six hits as LCU used seven hits to tally three runs in the third game of the series and first played on Saturday.
After giving up a pair of runs in the bottom of the first the Hillcats looked to make a move in the second inning. Tyler Wheeler singled with one out and Ramcy Lora roped a single to centerfield to put runners on first and second. A double play ground out at second however ended the inning for the Cats.
LCU's Jack Mabe faced four batters in the third, fourth and fifth innings. In the home half of the fifth a fielding error by the Hillcats' third baseman was followed by a double to center field. A fly out in foul territory led to RSU intentionally walking Joel Lutz looking for a double play opportunity of its own. But a hit-by-pitch brought home Christian Vasquez to put the score at 3-0.
The Chaps faced the minimum in the sixth while RSU starting pitcher Brandon Bargas retired LCU three-up, three-down in the bottom half of the inning.
RSU led off the seventh with a single to center but the next at-bat a fielder's choice by Lora cut down the lead runner. Mabe struck out the next batter before forcing a pop out to short stop and giving the LCU pitcher his sixth win of the season.
Mabe (6-2) pitched the complete game victory allowing six hits, no runs and striking out three.
Bargas (7-4) received the loss after giving up seven hits with three runs, two earned and fanning three. Wheeler, the Hillcats' third baseman, went 3-for-3 at the plate in the first game responsible for half the RSU hits.
GAME TWO
LCU dented the scoreboard first with a run in the bottom of the first inning but RSU responded in the second. Wheeler continued his hot ways with a leadoff single and stole second before Cody Campbell hit a two-RBI homer to right center field giving RSU the 2-1 lead.
The Hillcats held the Chaparrals scoreless in the home half of the second, the only inning LCU wouldn't tally a run in the second game.
LCU made up for the scoreless second with a four run spot in the third inning to take a 5-2 advantage.
The teams traded runs in the fourth and fifth innings with Colton Campbell scoring on a RBI double play ground out by Lora in the fourth. In the fifth a Campbell single to left-center field followed by an error by the Chaps third baseman scored Jose Olazagasti.
With RSU trailing 7-4 the Chaparrals added two runs in the sixth inning. Back-to-back walks of Colton Campbell and Wheeler with one out gave the Hillcats hope in the seventh. A fielder's choice by McKenzie Matthews put runners on first and third for the Cats. A ground out to the mound retired the side and gave Lubbock Christian (36-13, 16-8) the series sweep.
Colton Campbell went 2-for-3 at the plate and plated one run. Wheeler batted 2-for-3 in the getaway game as the senior third baseman went 5-for-6 on the day.
Jarret Porter (7-3) earned the victory for the Chaparrals pitching five innings in the start giving up three earned runs, seven hits and striking out two.
Jesse Baird (2-1) received the loss for RSU as he went five innings in the start. Baird allowed 11 hits giving up seven runs, all earned and striking out four. Jesus Del Rosario pitched one inning of relief work giving up two earned runs on two hits and fanning a pair.
Rogers State (30-17, 14-10) travels to Wichita, Kan. to face Newman University, future Hillcat foe in the Heartland Conference, on Tuesday, April 23. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.
