Claremore, Okla. – Rogers State baseball picked up a win in the home opener at the Diamond Sports Complex on Thursday, defeating the Minot State Beavers 13-5.
Senior
Mason Harvey led the way for the Hillcats (3-1) with a grand slam in the sixth inning to cap off a big day at the plate the Hillcats, who outscored the Beavers (1-3) 8-2 in the final five innings of the game.
How It Happened: The Beavers were able to get on the board first after an RBI single in the second inning. Matt Malone would drive Kaiden Cardoso in for the game's first run.
However, the Hillcats would answer in the bottom of the second, as
Victor Ceniceros singled to center, scoring
Brooks Betcher and
Brandon Bradshaw.
In the third, the Beavers would regain their lead at 3-2, as they would score two runs in the inning.
The Hillcats would respond in the fifth with an RBI double by Soto, scoring
Kyle Simms for the tying run. Later in the inning, Soto and Harvey would score on an error by Minot while fielding a ball in play from
Skyler Nelson.
The Hillcats had a big sixth inning, as they would score five runs. The first run came by an error from the Beavers, which would send
Jerry Davis in for the run.
Later in the inning, the Hillcats would load the bases with
Christian Merriwether, Ceniceros, and Eric Leef on for Harvey, who brought them all around to score with his first home run of the season, hitting a grand slam over the right field fence to make it 10-3.
The Beavers would score two runs in the eight after an RBI single up the middle by Jackson Pokorney. Rogers State would answer as Merriwether doubled to center field, scoring Leef. Nelson then singled to left field, bringing around Soto and Merriwether for the final two runs of the game.
Key Statistic: With hits and walks nearly identical, the big difference on the day came in stranding runners on base. Minot State left 12 baserunners on, while the Hillcats stranded just five baserunners in the game.
Players of Note: Harvey finished the day 2-for-5, with four RBI's, two hits, and two runs. Harvey's grand slam was the first homerun of his career at Rogers State.
Merriwether also finished the day 2-for-5. He had one of three extra-base hits for the Hillcats, recording a double, and finished with two runs, two hits, and an RBI for the day. Merriwether also extend his hit streak to nine games dating back to last season, a team best.
Soto and Bradshaw also extended their hit streaks, improving to eight games each. Soto had a double in his only hit and finished with an RBI and two runs scored.
Bradshaw finished the day 2-for-4 and also had a walk and a run.
Drake Norton pitched the win for the Hillcats. He allowed three runs, two earned, on eight hits and a walk in six innings of work.
Nathan Chase tossed 1.2 innings without allowing an earned run.
Jordan Ewig closed out the game with the final four outs, not allowing a hit or a walk with one strikeout.
Notes from the Game: Rogers State improved to 6-1 all-time against Northern Sun opposition. Thursday's meeting was the first ever for Rogers State and Minot State in any sport in head-to-head competition.
The Hillcats improve to 13-3 in home openers at the Diamond Sports Complex. Rogers State has won 13 of the last 14 home openers.
Rogers State and Minot state combined for seven errors in the game. The Hillcats had a season high five errors after just one in the first three games.
The Hillcats picked up their third-straight win heading into MIAA play, which begins on Saturday.
Up Next: Rogers State will welcome in Central Missouri on Saturday and Sunday to open up MIAA schedule. The Hillcats will take on the Mules in a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday. Both days are set for first pitches at 1 p.m.
