CLAREMORE, Okla. - The Rogers State Baseball team fell to Northwestern Oklahoma State 9-4 on Tuesday in non-conference play.
 
How it Happened: The Rangers struck first in the game scoring four runs in the first inning and then added another run in the fourth to take a 5-0 lead.
 
The Rangers then added four more runs in the sixth inning to take a 9-0 lead.
 
The Hillcats put their first runs on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning. Davin Kapuras hit a single to left center with the bases loaded to put two runs across home for the Navy and Red.
 
Christian Merriwether then hit a single up the middle to score another run for the Hillcats to make the score 9-3 after six innings.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, the Hillcats loaded the bases with no outs. After a flyout, Patrick Reynier was walked to score the Hillcats final run of the game. Dylan Russell grounded into a double play with the base loaded to end the game.
 
Players of Note: Davin Kapuras was 2-for-3 for the Hillcats with two RBIs. Kapuras is batting 1.000 with the base loaded this season.
 
Seth Gerardy hit a double as he came in to pinch hit for the Hillcats. Gerardy also scored the final run for the Hillcats.
 
Reynier was 1-for-1 from the plate with a single. Reynier was also walked twice, had a run and an RBI.
 
Merriwether was 2-for-3 from the plate with a double. Merriwether recorded an RBI and a walk as well.
 
Leonardo Castro recorded four outs in relief with no runs and allowed just two hits with no walks.
 
Jordan Stamp pitched a shutout inning only allowing two hits and no walks with one strikeout.
 
Nathan Chase record a shutout inning retiring the batters in order.
 
Notes: Merriwether tied Sam Davison, who played in 2016-2017, for the hit-by-pitch record in a career at RSU with 23.
 
Key Stats: The Hillcats left 13 runners on base.
 
The Hillcats also struck out seven times while the Rangers only struck out twice.
 
Up Next: Rogers State remains at home and welcomes in Northwest Missouri State for the first conference games at the Diamond Sports Complex of the MIAA era for a weekend series. The Hillcats will face the Bearcats for the first time in program history. The conference series is set to begin on Friday with the first of three nine-inning games over three days.