Claremore, Okla. – Rogers State baseball split games with No. 4 Central Missouri Saturday at the Diamond Sports Complex. Game one of the doubleheader went to the Mules with a final score of 5-2 and game two of the doubleheader went to the Hillcats with a final score of 5-3.
The Hillcats (4-2, 1-1 MIAA) picked up their first-ever MIAA victory against the No. 4 Mules (5-4, 1-1 MIAA). The win is also the first top-25 victory for Rogers State since defeating No. 4 Angelo State in the NCAA Regional Tournament in 2019.
How It Happened (Game One): The Mules would strike first with a pair of runs in the first inning to start the scoring in the game.
The Hillcats would respond with a run of their own in the bottom of the second inning after
Skyler Nelson scored a run after
Brooks Betcher grounded out to the pitcher to make the score 1-2.
The Mules would score another run in the third inning, to extend their lead at the time to 3-1.
The Hillcats would score their second run in the fifth inning after a wild pitch got away from the Mules and led
Jerry Davis in for the score.
The Mules would add a run in the seventh inning and in the ninth inning to seal the victory.
How it Happened (Game Two): After a scoreless first inning by both teams, the Hillcats would get on the board first with a pair of runs in the second inning. Nelson would score the first run of the game, after an RBI from Betcher.
Kyle Simms would score the second run after
Victor Ceniceros singled with an RBI bunt to the right side.
The two teams would go scoreless until the sixth inning, where the Mules scored their first run of the game by way of an RBI double.
The Mules were able to add another run in the seventh inning after an RBI single.
With the game tied in the seventh inning and the bases loaded for the Hillcats,
Jerry Davis cleared them with a triple to left-center.
Brandon Bradshaw,
Jonathan Soto, and
Mason Harvey all three scored to put the Hillcats ahead 5-2.
The Mules were able to add one last run in the top of the ninth, but
Octavio Sanchez would retire the Mules without anymore damage to secure the victory.
Players of Note: Merriwether led the Hillcats with four hits in the day, included a double, and also had a walk. He finished 4-for-8 from the plate, extending his hit streak to 11 straight games with a hit.
Simms, Bradshaw, and Davis all finished the day with two hits and a run scored. Davis picked up three RBI's, Bradshaw had two walks, and Simms was also hit by a pitch.
Betcher had two RBI's on the day.
Brett Karalius improved 2-0 on the season, after pitching six innings, allowing 10 hits, two runs, and a walk, and had four strikeouts.
Vinny Riggio finished the day with one walk and a strikeout.
Sanchez picked up his first save as a Hillcat with two strikeouts.
Notes from the Day: For the first time in school history, two Rogers State programs earned wins against a top five team. Along with baseball's win, softball also picked up a win against No. 4 Texas-Tyler.
Seven of the nine Hillcats to start game two recorded at least one hit.
Up Next: Rogers State will wrap up the three-game series with the rubber match on Sunday against the Mules. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at the Diamond Sports Complex.
