CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State baseball team dropped both games of a doubleheader on Friday (March 10) by the scores of 5-2 and 8-3 to St. Mary's at the Diamond Sports Complex. With the two wins, the Rattlers swept the three-game Heartland Conference series.
 
St. Mary's 5, Rogers State 2
 
The Rattlers (9-11, 3-0 Heartland) continued to generate early offense; scoring four runs in the first two innings en route to a 5-2 win in the first game of the doubleheader.
 
The runs started with a two-run single to the gap in right to put StMU up, 2-0, in the first inning.
 
RSU plated one run in the bottom half of the first inning on an RBI groundout from Chris Miguel for a 2-1 margin. The Cats put two runners on to start the inning, but managed only the one run.
 
StMU added two more runs in the second inning to go in front 4-0. A single up the middle scored the first run of the inning, and the lead grew to 4-0 on a double to left center.
 
A sacrifice fly scored the final Rattler run for a 5-1 score in the fourth inning.
 
With runners on first and second in the fifth inning, the Cats added one run with a single down the line from Sam Davison for a 5-2 margin.
 
Ismael Orozco advanced to third base with only one out in the sixth inning, but back-to-back outs kept the Hillcats off the scoreboard in the inning as the score remained 5-2.
 
In the seventh inning, RSU had the tying run at the plate with one out; however, a groundout and strikeout ended the inning and the game.
 
Davison reached base in each of his at bats, going 1-for-1 at the plate with one RBI. He worked two walks.
 
Spencer Bivens picked up his first loss of the season, falling to 4-1. The junior from State College, Pa. went 6.0 innings with eight hits and four earned runs. Landon Nealon pitched the final inning, getting three straight outs.  
 
St. Mary's 8, Rogers State 3
 
For the third time in the series, the Rattlers scored in the first inning, totaling one first-inning runs. StMU added runs in the second and third to pull away for the series-sweeping 8-3 victory.
 
The Rattlers opened the scoring with an RBI double to right center in the first for the 1-0 lead. The advantage grew to 3-0 with a double off the wall in center to bring home two runs.
 
StMU used five hits in the third inning to produce three runs. The Rattlers started with three straight hits, all singles. A sac fly opened the scoring in the inning. Back-to-back hits, a double and a single, plated two runs for a 6-0 margin.
 
With runners at the corners, Matt Seubert's sacrifice fly to left scored Jordan Garr for a 6-1 score. The Cats added another run in the inning on a bases-loaded walk from Miguel.
 
The Rattlers added runs in the sixth and seventh innings. A double to the gap in left plated one run, and the final StMU run scored on a single down the line for an 8-2 score.
 
Bradley Degnan drove in the final RSU run, singling to right center to score Sam Casinelli.
 
StMU's Mason Minister got the win in his first career start. The freshman went 6.0 innings and allowed two runs on three hits with six strikeouts.
 
Devland Zakar started for RSU, lasting only 2.2 innings. Josh Eclavea pitched 3.1 innings, and Justin Magstadt went 2.0 innings. Closer Rusty Huber registered three straight strikeouts as he pitched the ninth inning.
 
The Hillcats (13-8, 0-3 Heartland) conclude their four-game homestand with Bemidji State on Tuesday (March 14) at 2 p.m. at the Diamond Sports Complex. Coverage will be available on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.