LUBBOCK, Texas – Rogers State baseball totaled eight hits but allowed 19 hits to Lubbock Christian in a 12-7 loss to the Chaps Saturday at Hays Field.
 
The Hillcats jumped out to an early 2-0 lead as Bradley Degnan scored on a Jason Marley single through the left side. A RBI single by Ismael Orozco scored Chris Miguel to start the scoring early for RSU but LCU responded with three runs to even the score and build a 3-2 lead.
 
Orozco would ground out to shortstop to score Degnan and even the score at 3-3 in the third inning. The Chaparrals tallied four runs in the home half of the inning to hold a 7-3 lead through three innings.
 
LCU added a pair of runs in the fourth inning, a run in the fifth and two runs in the seventh for a 12-3 advantage.
 
Orozco struck again in the ninth inning with a grand slam to pull RSU within five runs, 12-7, with no outs but the Chaps would retire the next three batters to claim the outright Heartland Conference title with the victory over the Hillcats.
 
Orozco went 2-for-4 with four RBI while Miguel finished 3-for-4 for the afternoon.
 
Landon Nealon (5-1) suffered the loss as the starter lasted three innings allowing seven earned runs on 10 hits with one walk.
 
Russell Reber (9-1) earned the victory as the Lubbock Christian (36-12, 19-5) starter allowed three earned runs on five hits in five complete innings while fanning five Hillcats.
 
Rogers State (31-19, 11-13) finishes with a winning record for the second straight season after improving by three games from the previous year.