TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Rogers State baseball dropped the final game of a weekend series with Northeastern State Sunday afternoon at Rousey Field.

Rogers State 4, Northeastern State 5
Records:  Rogers State (12-13, 9-12 MIAA)  |  Missouri Southern (19-7, 16-5 MIAA)
W: John Rains (2-0)  |  L: Jackson Simonsgaard (2-4)  |  S: Dakodah Jones (6)

How It Happened

• The Hillcats took an early lead as Brandon Bradshaw hit a RBI double to right center in the top of the first, bringing around Prescott Horn for the opening run of the game.
• However, the lead was short-lived, as Northeastern State capitalized on a Hillcat error earlier in the inning to plate a run in the bottom of the first on a RBI single by Blake Freeman.
• After a scoreless second inning, Rogers State loaded the bases and then jumped back in front in the top of the third after Kyle Simms scored from third on a passed ball.
• The Hillcats would load the bases again later in the inning, but stranded them full.
• Northeastern State responded, as Blaze Brothers, Brayden Rodden and Collin Klingensmith hit back-to-back-to-back home runs to begin the bottom of the third to take a 4-2 lead.
• After an out, Jaxon Phipps made it four home runs in the inning for the RiverHawks as NSU took a 5-2 lead.
• The Hillcats would get a run back in the top of the fourth, capitalizing on two errors to bring around Jonathan Soto for Rogers State's third run.
• The Hillcats would load the bases with two out in the sixth inning before Simms drew a bases loaded walk to cut the deficit to 5-4.
• However, the Hillcats would strand the bases loaded for the third and final time in the game and were unable to find the tying run in the final three innings.

Game Notes

• Horn was the only Hillcat with multiple hits in the game, as he finished 2-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored.
• Christian Merriwether, Brandon Bradshaw and Jerry Davis all had a hit for the Hillcats.
• Bradshaw and Simms joined Horn with two walks each in the game. Rogers State finished with nine walks overall.
• The Hillcats were outhit 7-5 in the game, but drew five more walks than NSU, who finished with four.
• Rogers State stranded 13 base runners, while the RiverHawks stranded just six.
• Simonsgaard picked up the loss, allowing three earned runs on five hits with four strikeouts and a walk.
• Jordan Ewig pitched four scoreless innings in relief, allowing just one hit and two walks with six strikeouts.
• After winning 5 of 6 MIAA games in late March, the Hillcats have dropped six-straight MIAA games to begin the month of April.

Up Next
Rogers State will now set its sights on Washburn, as the Hillcats make a trip to Topeka, Kansas to take on the Ichabods in a three-game series on Friday and Saturday. Rogers State is set to begin the series with a single game on Friday at 5 p.m.