ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - The Rogers State Baseball team fell to Missouri Western 6-5 in the opening game of the MIAA series on Friday.
 
How it Happened: The Hillcats took the lead in the second inning as Victor Ceniceros hit a single to center field, scoring Jonathan Soto for the opening run of the game.
 
Jackson Simonsgaard would pitch well for the Hillcats, but Missouri Western eventually answered with three runs in the fifth inning to take the lead.
 
However, the Hillcats would respond as Nick Follett hit a two-run triple to score Mason Harvey and Christian Merriwether to tie the game in the sixth inning.
 
In the next at bat, Brandon Bradshaw singled to score Follett and give the Hillcats the lead.
 
RSU extended the advantage to 5-3 later in the inning, as Cameron Castaneda hit the second triple of the inning for Rogers State, bringing around Bradshaw for the final Hillcat run.
 
The hosts would respond as the Griffons scored one run in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Hillcat lead to 5-4.
 
In the seventh inning, Case Woodard would allow three base runners, two of which came around to score as Missouri Western took a 6-5 lead, eventually winning the game by that score.
 
Players of Note: Simonsgaard pitched six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts in his second-straight no decision.
 
Castaneda had the only two hit performance for the Hillcats, going 2-for-4 with a double and a triple and an RBI.
 
Follett was the only Hillcat to drive in multiple runs as he was 1-for 4 with two RBIs and a run.
 
Notes: With the loss, the Hillcats have dropped four straight to begin MIAA play and have lost five of the last six games overall.
 
Up Next: The Hillcats return to the field on Saturday with the first pitch of game two in the series set for 1 p.m.