CLAREMORE, Okla. – No. 20-ranked Rogers State dropped Thursday night's doubleheader at No. 6-ranked Oklahoma City at Ann Lacy Stadium.
The sixth-ranked Stars claimed game one 8-0 and held off a four run top of the seventh by the Hillcats in nightcap to capture the 6-4 victory and sweep of the doubleheader.
GAME ONE
In the first game of the day the Softball Cats were unable to tally a run on four hits while allowing 14 runs to the Stars.
OCU struck first in the second with a pair of runs and the Hillcats strung a pair of hits together in the fourth. A one-out single by Shona Guerrero followed by a single to right field by Taran Threet put a pair of runners on base for the Cats. A fielder's choice mowed down the lead runner and a ground out ended the inning for the Cats.
The Stars added a run in the bottom half of the inning and two runs in the fifth. In the sixth OCU scored three runs on four hits as Jamie Rateliff, the Stars starter in the circle, faced the minimum in three innings. Rateliff (18-2) earned the complete game victory as she fanned two.
Linsey Curtis (0-1) pitched five and one-third innings in her first start of the season giving up eight earned runs on 14 hits.
GAME TWO
A RBI double by Ashlie Fauchier in the seventh dented the scoreboard for the Hillcats for the first time Thursday. Katrina Loy scored on a sacrifice fly by Jamie King and a two-RBI home run by Cailin Simpson trimmed the Stars lead to 6-4.
The Hillcats rally was ended with a lineout to short stop to end the game and give OCU the doubleheader sweep.
The Stars scored one run in both the first and third innings before posting four runs in the fourth inning while finishing with 12 hits in the nightcap.
Curtis (0-2) received the loss allowing six runs, on five hits, while striking out one.
Emily Krienke (2-1) earned the victory in four innings of work giving up just two hits. In relief work Rachel Penner allowed four runs, on five hits in just two and two-third innings of work. Jamie Rateliff received her third save of the season in one-third inning of work.
Rogers State (38-13, 11-11) will host the Stars on Tuesday, April 30 at 5 p.m. for the final doubleheader of the season as the Hillcats celebrate Senior Night. Live coverage will be provided on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.
