BOLIVAR, Mo. – The Rogers State softball team picked up a non-conference split on the road at Southwest Baptist using a pair of long balls for a 3-1 win in the opener before dropping game two, 2-0 Tuesday afternoon.
 
Starting pitcher Yolanda Rios struck out 12 throwing the complete-game victory in game one while the Bearcats' starter Kacey Ayers pitched a shutout in the second game of the twin bill.
 
GAME ONE
A pair of home runs by Candace Monigold and Carley Conley paced the offense for the Softball Cats and Rios was on her game holding SBU to one run over seven innings.
 
The Bearcats put runners on the corners with only one out in the first but Rios escaped the inning, keeping the game scoreless.
 
The Hillcats broke the tie in the top of the fourth as Monigold belted her team-leading 10th home run of the season taking a 1-0 pitch to the opposite field, giving RSU a 1-0 advantage. Makenzie Kirk added to the lead with an RBI groundout, scoring Taran Threet.
 
Conley gave RSU an insurance run in the sixth driving her third home run of the year, a solo shot with two outs extending the margin to 3-0.
 
Rios made the lead stand as she cruised through the middle innings until the bottom of the sixth when Raigan Ratliff took the first offered pitch in the inning deep for a solo home run. Caitlyn Cooner followed with a double as the Bearcats started to rally back but the Hillcats got a double play to end the comeback bid as right fielder Katie Ellington threw out a runner trying to advance to second on a fly ball.
 
RSU held to take the opening game at SBU, 3-1, as Rios picked up her 13th win of the year allowing one run on eight hits while striking out 12.

GAME TWO
Much like game one, the Bearcats created chances from the start but this time capitalized as Londyn Backfisch singled to lead off the first. She promptly stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt before crossing home plate on Cooner's sacrifice fly putting SBU ahead, 1-0.
 
Hillcat starter Brooklyne Harbert kept the Hillcats within striking distance but the offense could not break through against SBU freshman Kacey Ayers, limited to just three hits in the game.
 
Ratliff added her second home run of the day for the Bearcats in the sixth pushing the lead to 2-0 as they claimed the shutout to end their season posting a record of 17-31 behind Ayers' first career shutout.
 
Harbert suffered the loss for the Hillcats despite a great outing scattering two hits over six innings allowing the two earned runs.
 
Rogers State (18-33) closes the 2014 season with another doubleheader on the road at Northwestern Oklahoma State Saturday. Game one is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.