PLANO, Texas – The Rogers State University baseball team won two of three games to claim its season-opening series with Bethany College (Kan.) over the weekend at John Paul II High School.
The Hillcats opened the season getting a complete-game performance from starter Jesse Baird in a 3-2 win over the Swedes Saturday. Baird allowed two runs on five hits while striking out six batters earning the victory.
Caleb Kohlmeyer drove in the first run of the season in the first inning driving pinch runner Justin Loya in from second with an RBI single.
Bethany took a 2-1 lead in the fourth but RSU answered with a pair of runs in the fifth following a lead-off double by Hamilton Hernandez.
After not making a single error in game one, mistakes proved costly in game two of the doubleheader as Bethany took advantage of five RSU errors en route to a 6-0 shutout evening the series.
The Hillcats claimed the series winning the nine-inning rubber game Sunday 5-3 getting RBIs from five different players. Chase Knott and Ryan Hendricks had two hits for RSU while Knott came around to score twice.
Mason Marquette earned the win from the mound throwing six innings allowing one run on four hits while Zach Tyson got his first-collegiate save allowing one hit over the final two innings.
Rogers State (2-1) returns to action for its home opener Saturday (Feb. 15) beginning a four-game series with the NAIA's Baker University at 1 p.m. at the Diamond Sports Complex. Live audio will be available streaming online on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.
