CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State baseball team dropped the series finale to No. 25 St. Mary's (Texas) 8-6 on Monday afternoon at the Diamond Sports Complex.
 
The Hillcats started strong in the first. After holding the Rattlers (15-4, 3-0 HC) scoreless in the top of the inning, RSU dented the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame, taking a three-run lead. Alex Cochran led the inning with a double ripped down the right field line. Caleb Kohlmeyer followed with a perfect bunt single down the third base line that moved Cochran to third and a miscue by the Rattler defense scored Cochran and put Kohlmeyer on second. Trae BoBo kept the offense going with a two-out, two-run home run smashed over the left field fence. It was the first home run of the year given up by StMU hurler Cody Butler.
 
StMU cut the deficit in the fourth with one run on a bases loaded, two-out error by RSU to make it a 3-1 game. The Hillcats came unraveled in the sixth, allowing six runs on five hits as five of the runs came with two outs.
 
The Hillcats battled back in the bottom of the seventh. With runners on second and third with one out, Kohlmeyer tallied a sacrifice fly to drive in Ryan Hendricks, who started the inning with a single to left center. RSU left the bases loaded to end the bottom of the eighth and the Rattlers tacked on a run in the top of the ninth to push the deficit to 8-4.
 
Cochran started the comeback bid in the bottom of the ninth with a leadoff single to right field. Kohlmeyer followed with a double to put a pair of runners in scoring position. A one-out single by Andrew Vanisi drove in both runs and cut the deficit to two, 8-6. Vanisi moved to second on the throw and advanced to third on a wild pitch as the potential tying run came to the plate but could not complete the rally.
 
Matthew Shepard (2-1) was tagged with the loss for the Hillcats despite a great outing, allowing five runs, four earned, on four hits with three strikeouts in 5.2 innings. Cody Butler (3-1) tallied the win for the Rattlers, allowing four runs on six hits with 10 strikeouts. Connor Camacho earned his first save of the season, tossing the final 1.1 innings.
 
Cochran led the Hillcat offense going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Kohlmeyer was the only other Hillcat to tally multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored.
 
Rogers State (7-8, 0-3 HC) returns to action at the Diamond Sports Complex Tuesday with a nine inning affair against Northeastern State at 3 p.m. The game will be streamed live on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live and on RSU Radio 91.3 FM.