CLAREMORE, Okla. – Rogers State baseball (2-2) took care of business in the home opener on Friday as they swept the first doubleheader of the four-game series against Colorado Christian (0-5).
GAME 1 – RSU 4, CCU 1
After two scoreless innings to start, the Hillcats broke the ice in the third inning as they pushed across two runs for an early 2-1 lead.
Geovanni Blackshaw drove in
AJ Folds and
Matthew Schure with a single to deep right field.
The Cougars got a run back in the top of the fourth to cut the deficit to 2-1. A sacrifice fly to left scored the run.
RSU added two insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh to secure the 4-1 win.
Joel Escalante scored from third for the first run on a wild pitch.
Alex Dehzad later stole home as part of a double steal for the final run.
Colton Anderson (1-1) earned his first win of the season throwing 5.0 innings, scattering five hits with one earned run and a strikeout.
Noah Anderson (1) was electric out of the bullpen to earn the 4.0 inning save without allowing a hit and striking out four batters. Jake Gimbel (0-1) suffered the loss.
GAME 2 – RSU 9, CCU 2
The second game of the day looked to be an old-fashioned pitchers' duel early as neither staff allowed a run in the first three innings.
Colorado Christian got on the board first in the fourth inning to take an early 1-0 lead. The run scored on a single to center.
The Hillcats came roaring back in the bottom of the sixth as they exploded for five runs to jump in front 5-1.
AJ Folds earned a hit-by-pitch RBI as he brought in
Jake Mitchell with the bases loaded and no outs.
Matthew Delgado gave RSU the lead with a two RBI single to center that plated
Matthew Schure and
Richie Ponce.
Geovanni Blackshaw scored Folds with a sacrifice fly to center.
Joel Escalante capped off the inning with a double to right center that brought in Delgado.
RSU wasn't done as they added four more runs in the seventh to push out to a 9-1 lead. Mitchell crossed home on a Schure single up the middle. Delgado came through again, this time with a bases clearing, three RBI double to center field that scored Folds, Schure and Ponce.
The Cougars were able to get a run back in the top of the eighth with a solo homer to left center to trim the deficit to 9-2, but that would be as close as they would get.
Quinn Tocheniuk (1-0) earned his first win of the season working 3.0 innings in relief as he scattered three hits with one earned run and a strikeout.
Blake Johnson also put together a strong 5.0 start, only allowing three hits and one earned run with four strikeouts. Cole Kennedy (0-2) took the loss.
The Hillcats will look for the series sweep tomorrow with another doubleheader. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
