CLAREMORE, Okla. – Rogers State baseball (19-11, 7-10 MIAA) fell 17-6 in the second game of the mid-week MIAA series to No. 7 Missouri Southern (24-7, 14-3 MIAA) on Tuesday.
 
The Lions jumped on the board first with a run in the first inning. A sacrifice fly to center scored the run.
 
The Hillcats responded with a run of their own to tie things at 1-1 in the home half of the frame. AJ Folds led off with a single through the left side of the infield. Prescott Horn brought him in with a double to left center.
 
RSU added to its lead with two runs in the second inning for a 3-1 margin. Gavin Mestas earned a leadoff, full count walk to get things started. Geovanni Blackshaw doubled to left center to plate Mestas. Joel Escalante returned the favor with a single to first base that scored Blackshaw.
 
MSSU's bats got going in the top of the fifth as they pushed across four runs to retake a 5-3 lead. A throwing error by the third baseman allowed the first two runs to score. The other runs scored on a groundout to the second baseman and a solo homer to right.
 
They tacked on four more runs in the sixth to go up 9-3. Another solo homer to right brought in the first run with a two RBI single to right center and a throwing error by the catcher scoring the other runs.
 
The Hillcats got two runs back in the bottom of the seventh to cut the deficit to 9-5. Carson Cheatwood was hit by a pitch and was pinch run for by Major Due. Jesse Holguin singled to short to put runners on first and second with one out. Jorge Martinez followed suit with a single to right that loaded the bases. Mestas plated both Due and Holguin with a double down the left field line.
 
The Lions answered back with four more runs in the eighth to push back out to 13-5. Three singles scored all four runs.
 
MSSU added four final runs in the top of the ninth to take a 17-5 advantage. The first two runs came in on a single to center. A double down the left field line and a sacrifice fly to center plated the other runs.
 
RSU added a run in the bottom of the inning to seal the 17-6 final score. Martinez earned a leadoff, 3-1 walk. He moved to second on a Mestas groundout to second, and move to third on a Blackshaw groundout back to the pitcher. Martinez scored on a fielding error by the second baseman.
 
Steen Lane (3-0) earned the win. Colton Anderson (2-2) took the loss.
 
The Hillcats will be back in action on Friday, March 31 as they travel to Emporia, Kan. for a three-game set against Emporia State. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.