EMPORIA, Kan. – Rogers State baseball (21-12, 9-11 MIAA) claimed the series with a 12-3 win over Emporia State (13-21, 8-12 MIAA) on Sunday.
 
The Hillcats wasted no time getting on the board as they raced out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. AJ Folds led of the game earning a seven-pitch walk. Joel Escalante moved Folds over to second with a groundout to first. Prescott Horn unloaded on the first pitch he saw for a two-run blast over the left field wall, scoring Folds.
 
The Hornets got a run back in the home half of the inning to cut the deficit to 2-1. The run scored on a throwing error by the pitcher on a failed pickoff attempt.
 
RSU broke the game open with four runs in the second inning to push out to a 6-1 advantage. Gavin Mestas singled up the middle to start the frame. Geovanni Blackshaw earned a 3-1 walk to put runners at first and second. Ramon Torres brought in Mestas with a RBI single. Folds followed suit plating Blackshaw with a single to right and put runners in scoring position after an error by the right fielder. Escalante scored Torres as he grounded out to second for the second out. Horn singled to short bringing in Folds.
 
In the fourth inning, the Hillcats expanded their lead with three more runs to go up 9-1. Folds doubled to left with two outs to lead off the inning and took third on a passed ball. Escalante scored Folds with a ground rule double to left center. Horn launched his second two-run shot of the day to left on the first pitch again to score Escalante.
 
ESU led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo homer to center to cut the margin down to 9-2.
 
RSU got the run back in the top of the fifth to go back up 10-2. With one out, Mestas belted the eighth-pitch of his at-bat over left field wall for the third Hillcat home run of the day, his team-leading seventh of the season.
 
The Hornets pushed across another run in the bottom of the sixth to trim the lead to 10-3. A RBI single to left center brought in the run.
 
The Hillcats sealed the 12-3 win with two final runs in the top of the seventh. Jorge Martinez got in on the home run fun with a solo shot of his own to lead off the frame. Mestas then singled to center and proceeded to steal second. Blackshaw doubled to left, allowing Mestas to cross home.
 
Rece Parker (5-1) earned the complete game win only allowing two earned runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts. Brayden Tower (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season.
 
RSU will return to the Diamond Sports Complex on Thursday, April 6 as they welcome Pittsburg State to town for a three-game set. First pitch for game one is set for 2 p.m.