ODESSA, Texas – The Rogers State baseball team suffered a gut-wrenching doubleheader sweep at Texas-Permian Basin Friday afternoon at Roden Field falling 3-0 and 9-8.
The Hillcats held an 8-1 lead in game two and were an out away from securing the split until the Falcons rallied back for the win to take the Heartland Conference series.
GAME ONE
Despite a quality outing from starting pitcher
Blake Roley, the Hillcats were limited to five hits as the Falcons took the opening game 3-0.
Roley allowed seven hits in six innings of work giving up three runs, two earned, but could not match the complete-game shutout by UTPB's Donald Wanner.
The Falcons posted the first run of the day in the bottom of the second getting an unearned run before RSU had a chance to even the score in the fourth.
Ismael Orozco opened the frame with a single and
Jason Marley added a one-out single until they grounded into a double play ending the threat.
UTPB turned the defensive play into offense scoring twice in the fifth to close out the 3-0 victory.
GAME TWO
RSU looked firmly in control taking an 8-1 lead into the ninth, where the bullpen could not preserve the lead in a 9-8 loss as the Falcons rallied for the sweep.
After putting runners on base in the second and third innings, the Hillcats finally broke through on UTPB tallying a three-run fourth, all with two outs.
Chris Miguel singled to start the momentum and moved to second on a passed ball before
Samuel Davison walked.
Miguel came around to score the first run when
Colton Crocker reached on an error and
Garrett Hall delivered a two-run double into center extending the lead to 3-0.
The Falcons cut into the margin plating a run in the fifth, but RSU came through again adding to its advantage in the fifth.
Caleb Kohlmeyer led the inning with a double and moved to third on
Cesar Rodriguez's single. Marley ripped a two-run single up the middle for the Hillcats as the lead moved to 5-1.
Miguel blasted a three-run home run in the top of the ninth for his third hit of the game as RSU took what appeared to be a comfortable 8-1 lead. The Falcons rallied in the bottom half of the ninth scoring eight times off the bullpen on five hits and an error getting a bases-loaded, two-run single for the victory, 9-8.
Kohlmeyer, Rodriguez, and Hall each finished with two hits for the offense, while
Michael Fusselman threw six innings allowing one earned run on eight hits before giving way to
Justin Magstadt, who tossed the next two scoreless innings.
The Hillcats (22-16 overall, 8-9 HC) close the weekend series Saturday afternoon with the finale scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
