ADA, Okla. – Rogers State baseball wrapped up its non-conference schedule with a 19-15 win at East Central University on Tuesday afternoon at Ken Turner Field.
 
Rogers State 19, East Central 15
Records:  Rogers State (16-16)  |  East Central (4-30)
W: Nathan Chase (1-0)  |  L: Bryan Terry (0-5)

How It Happened

• The Hillcats took the lead in the top of the first, as Prescott Horn singled to left field, scoring Mason Harvey for the opening run of the game.
• After East Central answered with a run in the bottom of the first, the Hillcats responded with the next six runs in top of the second and third to re-take the lead at 7-1.
• Seth Gerardy started the scoring in the second with an RBI base hit in his first start of the year, scoring Cameron Castaneda. Later in the second inning, Harvey single to center, scoring Gerardy.
• Ethan Rivera capped the scoring in the second as he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring around Christian Merriwether.
• In the third inning, Merriwether hit a two-RBI triple, scoring Castaneda and Kyle Simms before Victor Ceniceros brought Merriwether in from third with a safety squeeze bunt, extending RSU's lead to 7-1.
• East Central would answer with a two-RBI single in the bottom of the third inning to cut into the Hillcat lead at 7-3.
• Both teams would score a run in the fourth, as Brandon Bradshaw hit a solo homerun in the top half of the inning before the Tigers added a run with an RBI groundout in the bottom half to make it 8-4.
• Rogers State would blow the game open in the fifth inning, scoring four runs to extend the lead to 12-4. Ceniceros started the scoring with a single to center, scoring Castaneda. Harvey then hit a sacrifice fly to right in the next at bat, scoring Gerardy from third. Rivera then pushed a bunt single to score Merriwether in from third.
• Two batters later, Rivera stole seconds and Ceniceros stole home to give the Hillcats an eight-run lead.
• However, the big advantage would be short lived, as the Tigers scored six in the bottom of the fifth. The first run came across on a single through the right side. East Central then had a three-run home run, followed by a two-run home run two batters later to cut the Hillcat lead to 12-10.
• The Hillcats would respond with a run in the top of the sixth, as Castaneda doubled home Simms to make it 13-10.
• However, the Tigers would load the bases in the bottom of the sixth and take the lead with a two-out grand slam to go up 14-13.
• After a scoreless seventh inning, the Hillcats started the eighth with a pair of walks. Merriwether tied the game with a RBI single, scoring pinch runner Jerry Davis from second. Two batters later, Harvey hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring another pinch runner, Erick Leef from third to give the Hillcats a 15-14 lead.
• In the next two at bats, Rivera singled home Merriwether and Horn doubled home Rivera to extend the Hillcat lead to 17-14.
• Two batters later, Simms singled through the right side to score Horn and Bradshaw as Rogers State extended its lead to 19-14.
• East Central would get a run back in the bottom of the eighth inning on a Hillcat error to cut RSU's lead to 19-15 headed into the final inning, but both teams would go scoreless in the final inning.

Game Notes

• The Hillcats' 19 runs tied a season high, matching Rogers State's 19 runs on Sunday at Newman.
• All nine starters in the batting lineup recorded at least one hit in the game and had at least one RBI. Seven of the nine starters had at least one walk.
• Castaneda led the Hillcats offensively as he was perfect at the plate, going 2-for-2 with three walks. He finished with the RBI double and three runs scored.
• In his first start of the season Gerardy was 1-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored.
• Bradshaw hit his team-leading sixth homerun of the season in the fourth inning. The homerun also tied him with Jonathan Soto for the team lead in RBIs with 27.
• Merriwether led the Hillcats with three hits and four runs on the day. He finished 3-for-5 with a triple, three RBIs and four runs scored.
• Rivera, Horn, and Simms joined Merriwether and Castaneda with multiple hits.
• Rivera, Harvey and Merriwether all finished with a team high three RBIs.
• Nathan Chase picked up the win in relief, allowing one unearned run in 1.2 innings of relief.
• CJ Edwards closed out the game, recording the final four outs. with three strikeouts.
• Both teams left eight runners on base in the game.
• East Central recorded six errors in the contest.

Up Next
Rogers State will return home after an eight-game road swing, as the Hillcats welcome in Central Oklahoma for the final three home games of the 2021 season. Rogers State will open up the three-game series with a single game on Friday slated for a 3 p.m. first pitch.