TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Rogers State baseball (26-24) fell 10-4 in the first game of the best-of-three series of the MIAA Tournament to Northeastern State (35-14) on Saturday.
 
The Hillcats got on the board first with a run in the opening frame to take an early 1-0 lead. Jonathan Soto drove in Gavin Mestas with a RBI single through the left side of the infield.
 
The RiverHawks responded by tying the game at 1-1 in the bottom half of the inning. A RBI single through the right side of the infield brought in the run.
 
RSU retook took the lead 2-1 in the second inning. Victor Ceniceros scored on a Soto sacrifice fly to right.
 
The NSU bats came alive in the third inning as they went up 4-2 with three runs in the frame. A leadoff solo shot to left brought in the first run, with a RBI single up the middle and a throwing error by the shortstop bringing in the other runs.
 
They added a run in both the fifth and sixth to go up 6-2. A RBI groundout to second got the run in the fifth, with a sacrifice fly to right getting the run in the sixth.
 
The Hillcats cut the deficit to 6-3 with a run in the top of the seventh. Mestas scored from third on a throwing error by the shortstop.
 
NSU tacked on three more runs in the bottom half of the seventh to push out to 9-3. Back-to-back solo homers plated the first two runs, with a RBI double to center plating the third run.
 
RSU cut into the lead 9-4 with a run in the top of the eighth. Prescott Horn launched a solo blast over the left centerfield wall.
 
The RiverHawks sealed the 10-4 win with one final run in the bottom of the eighth. A RBI fielder's choice brought in the run.
 
Lee Callison (4-2) earned the win. Jordan Ewig (7-5) took the loss.
 
The Hillcats find themselves in a must-win situation as they take on NSU in game two tomorrow. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.