LAREDO, Texas – Rogers State opened up Heartland Conference play on Friday with a doubleheader sweep of Texas A&M international at Jorge Haynes Field. The Hillcats overcame deficits and held off rallies in both games to win 7-6 and 10-7.
The Hillcats fell behind quickly in game one as the hosts had an RBI double and a three-run homerun in the bottom of the first to take a 4-0 lead.
Rogers State would get one run back in the second, as
Griffin Keller flew out to left field and
Brandon Bradshaw tagged from third to score on the sacrifice fly.
In the third,
Christian Merriwether hit a solo homerun to cut the deficit to 4-2. Bradshaw then hit an RBI single later in the inning to score
Zack Mann and bring the Hillcats to within one.
Bradshaw would be a part of the scoring again in the fifth inning, scoring on
Nick Follett's double to right center. Follett would then score to give Rogers State the lead on a single up the middle from
Brendan Griffith.
The Hillcats would add two much-needed insurance runs in the seventh inning to extend the lead to 7-4.
Christopher Ford hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Follett for the first run of the inning. Merriwether then hit an RBI single to score Griffith for the second run.
The DustDevils would threaten the Hillcats in the bottom of the seventh, rallying to score a pair of runs before
Brock Knoten completed the save.
Corey Murphy picked up the win, his fifth of the season, allowing four runs on two hits and five walks in five innings.
Sean Robinson pitched a scoreless sixth inning for the Hillcats.
In game two, the Hillcats took the lead first as Merriwether singled home
Grant Ruthenberg.
Texas A&M International would answer back in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game at 1 and it would remain that way until the Hillcats went back into the lead in the seventh.
Grant Farris hit a sacrifice fly to score Ford from third and put RSU ahead 2-1. The DustDevils would respond in the bottom of the seventh, scoring two runs on a triple to go ahead 3-2.
Rogers State would then plate six runs in the top of the eighth inning.
Dylan Russell started the scoring with a double to left center, scoring Griffith and Ruthenberg. Two batters later,
Zack Mann singled up the middle to score Russell.
Merriwether would then score on a balk and the Hillcats would score two more runs on a throwing error to go up 8-3.
The hosts would answer back in the bottom half with back-to-back homeruns, including a three-run shot to cut the deficit to 8-7.
The Hillcats would add two insurance runs in the top of the ninth, scoring the first run on a throwing error. The second run came when Merriwether scored his second run of the game from a balk.
Knoten would blank the hosts in the ninth to seal his second save of the day.
Joey Lucas picked up the win in relief.
The Hillcats will look to complete the sweep on Saturday as game three against Texas A&M International is set for noon.
