CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State baseball team overcame an early deficit to defeat No. 19-ranked St. Edward's, 6-5, on Monday (March 27) at the Diamond Sports Complex. With the victory, RSU took the three-game series, 2-1, the Cats' first-ever conference series win over the Hilltoppers since joining the Heartland Conference.
 
The Cats rallied in the seventh inning, erasing a 5-4 deficit and gaining a 6-5 lead with two runs. With the bases loaded, Ismael Orozco tied the score at 5-5 when he was hit by a pitch. Garrett Hall produced the game-winning run with a long fly ball to left field. SEU made the catch on the play, but Hall hit it hard enough to allow Chris Miguel to tag up from third base and score for the 6-5 edge.
 
For the final two innings, RSU called upon closer Rusty Huber, who earned his eighth save of the season. The senior from San Diego gave up a walk to the first Hilltoppers, but retired the next five Toppers to put RSU one out away from the upset. After a double from Carson Cox, Huber ended the game with a fly out to left for the 6-5 victory.
 
The navy and red fell behind 3-0 early as the Hilltoppers hit three home runs in the first two innings. SEU started the game with back-to-back home runs to left field, one off the scoreboard and one to the bleachers, to go up 2-0 after four pitches. The Toppers added one homer to start the second to make it 3-0 early in the game.
 
In the top of the fifth, SEU produced one more run on a double through the left side of the infield to up the advantage to 4-0.
 
RSU started its rally in the fifth inning when Garrett Hall knocked a solo home run off the scoreboard in left field for a 4-1 score. Sam Davison cut the deficit to two runs with an RBI groundout to pull the Cats to a 4-2 margin in the fifth.
 
Brooks Douglass tied the score at 4-4 in the sixth inning as the junior outfielder singled to center to score Ismael Orozco and Jason Marley.
 
The Hilltoppers regained the lead in the seventh inning with an RBI double for a 5-4 edge before the RSU rally in the bottom of the seventh inning.
 
Seven Hillcats posted hits, led by Hall, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run scored.
 
Justin Magstadt moved to 1-0 on the season as he earned up the win. After starter Devland Zakar went only 1.0 inning, Landon Nealon pitched 5.0 innings in relief. Josh Eclavea and Magstadt combined to pitch the seventh inning before Huber went the final 2.0 innings and picked up his eighth save of the season and his second of the series.
 
It's the first Heartland Conference series loss for SEU since April 2, 2016 when No. 15-ranked Lubbock Christian took two of three games in Austin.
 
The Hillcats go on the road this weekend for a three-game conference series at Oklahoma Panhandle State. The three-game set starts on Friday (March 31) at 1 p.m. with a doubleheader in Goodwell, Okla. Video and live stats will be available.