KANSAS CITY, Mo. – No. 8 Rogers State softball (10-3) swept the first day of action at the Top Gun Midwest College Classic with wins over Maryville (7-9) and Minnesota State (5-5) on Friday.
 
GAME 1 – RSU 8, MU 0
 
In the first game of the day, the Hillcats jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. McKayla Carney reached on a fielder's choice with one out. After watching one pitch, Abbey Rogers blasted a ball to straightaway center for a two-run homer, scoring Carney.
 
RSU raced to extend their lead in the third inning with four more runs to go up 6-0. Kaylee Lyon led off with a single up the middle. Rogers singled to center and later stole second to put runners in scoring position with one out. Bridgett Morales drove in Lyon with a single through the left side of the infield. Rogers then scored from third on a wild pitch. On a full count, Callie Yellin unloaded on a pitch, sending it over the center field wall, plating in Morales.
 
The Hillcats added two final runs in the fourth to seal the 8-0 win. Carney got on with a single to left with two outs. Chloe Bohuslavicky got in on the home run fun with a long ball to left that scored Carney.
 
Harley Culie (4-0) was electric in the circle, scattering one hit in a 4.0 inning, shutout start with five strikeouts. Torie Sandoval was also solid in her 1.0 inning of relief work with one strikeout.
 
GAME 2 – RSU 4, MSU 3
 
In a rematch of the 2022 Central Regional Championship, RSU again got on the board first with two runs in the first inning. Kaylee Lyon led off the game with a double to left. McKayla Carney followed that up with a single to short that put runners on the corners. A single by Abbey Rogers loaded the bases with no outs. Callie Yellin later earned a bases-loaded walk to score Lyon for the game's first run. Chole Bohuslavicky then drove in Carney with a single to center.
 
The Hillcats added a run in the third to go up 3-0. After Carney led off with a single to short, Bridgett Morales plated her with a single to center.
 
The Mavericks got the run back in the home half of the frame to cut the deficit to 3-1. A solo home run to center put them on the board.
 
After two scoreless innings, RSU pushed across one more run to go back up 4-1. Karlee Smith and Mariah Belzer led off the frame with back-to-back singles. A Halle Hance sacrifice bunt moved them into scoring position. Carney later drove in Smith with a single to right field.
 
MSU tried to mount a comeback in the bottom half of the sixth with two runs to get within one at 4-3, but that's as close as they would get. An RBI single to right brought in the first run with an infield single scoring a run from third.
 
Jade Sanders (3-2) earned the win with a 5.0 inning start, allowing three runs on five hits with six strikeouts. Harley Culie (1) earned the save, scattering two hits over the final 2.0 innings with three strikeouts.
 
The Hillcats will wrap up the tournament tomorrow with games against Southwest Baptist and No. 5 Augustana. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., respectively.