CLAREMORE, Okla. – Rogers State baseball (4-6) completed the series sweep of Colorado Christian (1-7) with a doubleheader win on Sunday.
GAME ONE - RSU 12, CCU 7
In the first game of the day, the Hillcats jumped on the board early, scoring three runs in the first two innings for an early 3-0 lead. In the first inning, Jesse Holguin crossed home on a wild pitch. In the second, Joel Escalante scored on a Marcos Barrera RBI single up the middle, and Victor Ceniceros came in as A.J. Folds was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
The Cougars got on the board in the third inning with two runs to cut the deficit to 3-2. The first run scored on a sacrifice fly to right, with the other run coming in on an RBI single to left center.
RSU added a run in the bottom half to push back out to 4-2. Escalante plated Skyler Nelson with a RBI single to left center.
CCU exploded for five runs in the top of the fourth to take a 7-4 lead. A bases loaded hit by pitch and a RBI fielder's choice scored the first two runs, with back-to-back bases loaded walks scoring the next two runs. The final run scored on a double play from third to first.
The Hillcats got a run back in the bottom half of the fourth to trim the lead to 7-5. Gavin Mestas scored on a balk.
In the bottom of the fifth, it was RSU's turn to take advantage of defensive miscues as they put up six runs to retake the lead 11-7. Jonathan Soto and Prescott Horn scored the first two runs on a throwing error by the pitcher on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Escalante. Barrera and Ceniceros crossed home on a fielder's choice. Mestas scored on an error by the catcher. Folds came in on a RBI grounded to short by Nelson.
The Hillcats tacked on a final run in the bottom of the sixth to seal the 12-7 victory. Soto launched his first home run of the season over the left field wall.
Jerry Davis (1-0) earned his first win of the season coming out of the bullpen and throwing two hitless innings with a strikeout. Jake Gimbel (1-1) took the loss.
GAME TWO - RSU 9, CCU 3
In the second game, both starters worked two scoreless frames to open the game. RSU broke the seal in the third inning to take a 1-0 lead. Skyler Nelson brought in A.J. Folds with a RBI single to center field.
The Hillcats added three runs in the fifth inning to push out to a 4-0 advantage. Jonathan Soto plated Nelson and Prescott Horn with a two RBI double down the right field line. Joel Escalante then scored Soto with a RBI single through the left side of the infield.
The Cougars finally got on the board in the seventh to trim the deficit to 4-1. The run scored on a RBI ground out to third.
RSU exploded for five runs in the bottom of the seventh to go up 9-1. Jesse Holguin and Nelson crossed home on a Horn two RBI double down the left field line. Horn and Soto later scored on a Victor Ceniceros two RBI single to right center. Ceniceros scored the final run of the inning on a Marcos Barrera ground out to second.
CCU scored two runs in the top of the eighth to cut the lead to 9-3. A RBI double and a RBI single to left scored both runs.
Nathan Chase (1-0) earned a quality start and the win working five hitless innings, seven total innings, with eight strikeouts. Cameron Spaeth (0-1) took the loss.
The Hillcats will be back in action on Tuesday, Feb. 22 with a mid-week road game in Durant, Okla. against Southeastern Oklahoma State. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
