Box Score ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Rogers State baseball (23-23, 13-19 MIAA) bounced back with a 9-4 win in game two against Missouri Western (19-22, 10-22 MIAA) on Friday to even the series.
 
The Hillcats wasted no time as they dashed out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Jake Mitchell got things started as he drew a leadoff walk and then stole second. AJ Folds later drove him in with a single to left. Matthew Schure crossed home on an error by the pitcher. Matthew Delgado plated Folds with a single to center.
 
The Griffons answered back in the home half of the inning with two runs to trim the deficit to 3-2. Back-to-back singles to left scored both runs. Western managed to tie things up at 3-3 in the third thanks to a RBI single to right.
 
RSU retook the lead 4-3 in the sixth as Gabe Russell plated Folds with a single to right. They added an insurance run in the seventh with Richie Ponce bringing in Alex Dehzad with a single to right.
 
The Griffons cut the lead down to 5-4 in the bottom half of the seventh with a run scoring from third on a groundout to second.
 
The Hillcats put the game away in the eighth as they exploded for four runs to seal the 9-4 win. Delgado drove in Folds with a double to right field. Joel Escalante returned the favor as he doubled in Delgado with a shot to left. Escalante later scored on a RBI single to right from Ponce. Dehzad capped off the frame scoring from third on an error by the pitcher.
 
Colton Anderson (4-4) earned the win, allowing four runs with two strikeouts in his 6.1 inning start. The duo of Landon Riley and Octavio Sanchez were also electric out of the bullpen, combining for the final 2.2 innings with only one hit allowed and two strikeouts.
 
RSU will look to clinch the series in the regular season finale tomorrow. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.