CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State baseball team battled the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith to a dramatic Heartland Conference doubleheader split on Friday afternoon at the Diamond Sports Complex.
In game one, RSU tallied an extra innings victory over the Lions as Blake Gipson hit a bases loaded, two-out single up the middle to score a pair of runs for the, 3-2, walk-off win. In the nightcap, UAFS rallied for 7-6 victory over the Hillcats.
GAME ONE
The Hillcats took an early 1-0 lead but couldn't hold on as the Lions knotted the score in the sixth to send the game into extra innings. UAFS took the lead in the top of the ninth but the Hillcats answered in the bottom of the frame for the win.
The Hillcats took advantage of several Lion miscues in the first inning as leadoff batter Alex Cochran reached on an error and advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches by starter Wade Roth. Cochran crossed home plate for an early 1-0 lead on a perfect sacrifice bunt from Caleb Kohlmeyer.
RSU held the Lions scoreless until the sixth inning where UAFS knotted the score with a sacrifice fly by Brennan Rogers. The Hillcats threatened in the bottom of the frame but left a pair of runners stranded.
RSU had a chance to end the game in the seventh but left Alex Cochran stranded on second after tallying a two out single and advancing on a wild pitch.
After a scoreless eighth, the Lions took the lead in the top of the ninth with a RBI sacrifice fly by Justin Shealy.
With their backs against the wall, the Hillcats found a way to rally in the bottom of the ninth. With one out, JP Seifried singled and Cochran drew a walk. Both runners advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch and Caleb Kohlmeyer kept the inning alive with an 11-pitch at-bat that led to a walk to load the bases with two outs. Blake Gipson tallied the game-winning two RBI single up the middle with a full count against him.
RSU starting pitcher Jesse Baird recorded a no decision in the contest after tossing eight innings for RSU, allowing one run on four hits while fanning seven. Kyle Duncan (1-0) recorded the win tossing the ninth inning, allowing one run on one hit.
Eric Tiefenthaler (1-1) was tagged with the loss as he allowed two runs on two hits with two strikeouts in 1.2 innings of work.
GAME TWO
After trailing early in the game, the Hillcats rallied to take the lead but couldn't hang on, falling 7-6, in the nightcap.
The Lions dented the scoreboard first with a sacrifice fly by Brennan Rogers in the top of the first. UAFS doubled its lead in the third with Rogers bringing in the run with his second sacrifice fly of the game.
RSU took over the advantage in the bottom of the third, tallying four runs on four hits with the help of two UAFS errors. In the fourth, RSU tacked on two more runs with a single up the middle by Seifried.
In the fifth, the Lions chipped away at the deficit with a sacrifice fly by Ryan Justus and took the lead in the sixth, plating four runs on four hits with the help of one miscue by the RSU defense.
The Hillcats put the tying run on base in the sixth and seventh innings but couldn't drive in the tying run.
T.J. Law suffered the loss on the mound for RSU, allowing seven runs, five earned, on nine hits with four strikeouts.
Kohlmeyer led the Cats in the nightcap going 3-for-4 with one run scored.
Hayden Harvey registered the win for UAFS allowing two hits over the final four innings of the game.
Rogers State (8-5, 2-3) will complete the three-game series with UAFS on Saturday with a nine-inning affair at 1 p.m. inside the Diamond Sports Complex. The game will be streamed live on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.
