CLAREMORE, Okla. – Rogers State baseball (16-8, 5-7 MIAA) took down Missouri Western (5-15, 2-10 MIAA) with a 9-8 victory on Saturday.
 
The Griffons got on the board first taking an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. The run scored from third as the Hillcats turned a 4-6-3 double play.
 
RSU answered with two runs in the home half of the frame to take a 2-1 lead. Gavin Mestas led off the inning by reaching on a throwing error by the third baseman. AJ Folds moved him over with a sacrifice bunt. Mestas moved to third on a wild pitch. Prescot Horn earned a seven-pitch walk and then stole second to put runners in scoring position with one out. Jesse Holguin plated Mestas with a single to center. Jhonmy Martinez brought in Horn with a sacrifice fly to left.
 
Over the next three innings, both pitchers refused to give up a run and scattered three combined hits.
 
The Griffons tied the game at 2-2 with a run in the top of the fifth. The run scored on a RBI single to center.
 
The Hillcats matched them with a run in the bottom of the inning to go back up 3-2. Mestas reached on a bunt single with one out. He then crossed home on a Folds RBI double to right center.
 
MWSU again tied the game at 3-3 with a run in the sixth inning. A RBI single to left brought in the run.
 
RSU exploded for five runs in the bottom of the sixth to take an 8-3 lead. Martinez and Geovanni Blackshaw started the inning with back-to-back 3-1 walks. Joel Escalante reached on a bunt single while a throwing error by the catcher allowed both Martinez and Blackshaw to score. A fly out to center by Carson Cheatwood allowed Escalante to move to third. He then scored as Ramon Torres grounded out to the second baseman. Mestas doubled to right center with two outs. Back-to-back full count walks of Folds and Horn loaded the bases. Holguin plated both Mestas and Folds with a double down the left field line.
 
The Griffons kept fighting as they pushed across four runs in the seventh to cut the deficit to one run at 8-7. The first three runs scored on three-straight bases loaded walks. A ground out to second scored the final run of the frame.
 
They tied the game for a third time in the top of the eighth at 8-8. The run came in from third on 4-6-3 double play.
 
The Hillcats took the lead to stay in the bottom of the eighth sealing the win at 9-8. Folds led off with a four-pitch walk and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. He then scored from second on a fielding error by the second baseman.
 
Octavio Sanchez (2-0) earned the win working the final 2.2 innings allowing one run on three hits with two strikeouts. Carson Aycock (0-1) suffered his first loss of the season.
 
The Hillcats will look to claim their second-straight MIAA series tomorrow in the series finale. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.