CLAREMORE, Okla.- The Rogers State baseball team dropped a Heartland Conference doubleheader to Oklahoma Christian on Friday night at the Diamond Sports Complex.
The Hillcats couldn't hold on to an early lead, giving up runs in each of the last three innings, falling 11-5. In game two, the Eagles cruised to a 10-1 win to complete the doubleheader sweep.
GAME ONE
The Hillcats took an early 5-0 lead but committed costly errors while leaving 10 base runners stranded in the contest, as the Eagles took game one of the series, 11-5.
RSU took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a one-out, two RBI single up the middle by Ryan Hendricks that brought Alex Cochran home, after leading off the inning with a walk, and Chase Knott, who was hit by a pitch.
In the second, the Hillcats tacked on three more runs. Joe Crow belted a one-out double down the left field line and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Knott and Caleb Kohlmeyer each drew a two-out walk. Crow scored on a wild pitch while Blake Gipson drove in Knott and Kohlmeyer with a single through the left side of the infield.
RSU held the Eagles scoreless until the fifth when the Eagles took over. OC cut the deficit to one run with a two-out grand slam by Blake Stringer. In the sixth, OC took the lead with four runs on two hits with the help of an RSU error. In the top of the seventh, the Eagles made the Hillcat comeback even tougher, plating three runs on three hits and an error.
Reliever Travis Teague was tagged with the loss, allowing two runs, one earned. Starter Mason Marquette earned a no decision, tossing five innings, allowing four runs on four hits with three strikeouts. T.J. Law closed out the final two innings, allowing five runs, three earned, on five hits with three strikeouts.
OC reliever Zach Loomis bailed out starter Tyler Sturgis who allowed five runs on three hits with four walks on the day. Loomis tossed three scoreless innings, allowing just on hit with one walk and two strikeouts.
GAME TWO
The Eagles dominated the night cap, pounding out 15 hits en route to the 10-1 win. RSU committed four defensive errors and left 11 runners stranded, including leaving the bases loaded twice.
OC took a quick 6-1 lead through three innings. After denting the scoreboard in the second with four runs and adding two more in the third, RSU tallied its lone run of the game in the bottom of the third with a RBI groundout by Hendricks to send Knott home after leading off the inning with a double.
The Eagles added a pair of runs in the fourth and kept the RSU offense at bay, retiring the side in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
The Hillcats threatened in the eighth, loading the bases with one out but the Eagles got out of the inning without giving up a run.
Duncan suffered the loss on the mound for RSU, allowing eight runs, seven earned, on 10 hits while fanning one. Brandon Pierce earned the win for OC, allowing just one run in six innings with eight strikeouts and five hits.
Rogers State (12-12, 5-9 HC) will round out the three-game series with OC on Saturday at the Diamond Sports Complex. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.
