SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Rogers State baseball scored two late runs to win the finale of a four-game series at No. 22-ranked St. Mary's on Friday (March 23) at Dickson Stadium. The Hillcats and Rattlers split today's doubleheader with StMU rallying late for a 4-3 walk-off win in game one.
 
RSU 2, StMU 0
 
The Hillcats plated two runs in the sixth inning and used strong pitching to win 2-0 in the finale of the four-game series.
 
Brendan Griffith drove in the game-winning run with a single up the middle to score Zach Stanley for a 1-0 edge. The edge doubled to 2-0 with an RBI single by Sam Casinelli in the sixth inning.
 
RSU posted five hits in the win with all five hits coming from different Cats.
 
AJ Deason pitched 6.2 innings of scoreless baseball with only six hits allowed and three strikeouts. He moved to a perfect 4-0 on the season with the win. Joey Lucas got the final out for the save, his second of the year.
 
StMU 4, RSU 3
 
In the opening game of the doubleheader, the navy and red built a 3-1 advantage heading into the bottom of the seventh in the seven-inning game, but the host Rattlers rallied with two runs in the seventh and the game-winning walk-off run in the ninth for a 4-3 victory over RSU.
 
With two on and two outs, St. Mary's singled to center field to drive in two runs for a 3-3 tie. A walk-off single to left in the bottom of the ninth gave the Rattlers the 4-3 win.
 
Griffith used a bunt to score the first run of the game for a 1-0 RSU edge in the first inning. After StMU tied the score in the second, the Hillcats added two runs in the third to regain the lead at 3-1. Griffith continued his strong day at the plate with an RBI single up the middle for a 2-1 score, and Brooks Douglass tripled to score Griffith for the 3-1 lead before the late rally.
 
Griffith finished 2-for-4 with two RBI. Zack Mann was 2-for-2 at the plate.
 
Tim Luce started in game one, going 7.0 innings with three strikeouts and three runs allowed. Brock Knoten came in for the final 1.2 innings.
 
The Hillcats return home for a four-game series against Texas A&M International. The series starts on Thursday with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. at the Diamond Sports Complex. Coverage will be available on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.