CLAREMORE, Okla. – Rogers State baseball (23-15, 11-14 MIAA) walked off Northeastern State (16-21, 10-15 MIAA) in a 7-6 victory to open the three-game series on Friday.
 
The game looked to be a pitcher's duel out of the gate as both starters refused to allow a run in the first two innings, scattering four hits.
 
The RiverHawks got on the board first with a run in the third inning that scored on a fielding error by the left fielder.
 
RSU knotted things up at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth. Gavin Mestas drew a full count walk with two outs and advanced to second on a passed ball. Joel Escalante then drove him in with a RBI single.
 
NSU responded in the top of the fifth to go back up 3-2. A RBI double to right center and a sacrifice fly to center brought in the runs.
 
Once again, the Hillcats tied things at 3-3 in the home half of the fifth. Ramon Torres reached first on a 3-1 walk. AJ Folds then reached on a fielder's choice with Torres out at second. Carson Cheatwood put runners at first and second with a single to right. Folds then stole third. Prescott Horn brought in Folds with a single to center. Jesse Holguin plated Cheatwood with a single to left.
 
The RiverHawks pushed across two runs in the seventh to regain the lead at 5-3. Both runs scored on a double down the right field line.
 
They expanded their lead with an insurance run in the eighth to go up 6-3. A single to center brought in the run.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, RSU cut the lead to one at 6-5 with two runs. Mestas reached on an error by the third baseman with one out. Escalante moved him over with a single to left. Blackshaw drove in Mestas with a double down the left field line. Escalante then scored on an error by the first baseman.
 
After holding NSU scoreless in the top of the ninth, Jorge Martinez was hit by a pitch with one out to put a man aboard in the bottom half. Mestas was also plunked to put runners at first and second. Facing a 1-1 pitch, Escalante played the hero as he laced a bases-clearing double down the right field line to walk off the RiverHawks with the 7-6 victory.
 
Quinn Tocheniuk (1-0) earned his first win as a Hillcat working the final 1.1 innings out of the bullpen without allowing a run and scattering a single hit with a strikeout. Cole White (2-2) took the loss.
 
The two teams will face of in the second game of the series tomorrow in Tahlequah, Okla. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.