CLAREMORE, Okla. - Rogers State baseball (14-3, 5-1 MIAA) claimed their second-straight MIAA series with a wild 17-5 win over Newman (5-13, 2-8 MIAA) on Sunday.
 
"In that one, we jumped on them early, and hanging a big, crooked number in the second inning helped us put it out of reach," said head coach Chris Klimas. "I was really happy with what we got out of Christopher Spry on the mound. It wasn't his most efficient outing, but he did a nice job working out of some jams. It was also really nice giving our bullpen some rest, only having to use two guys to close it out."
 
The Hillcats started hot and never really cooled off as they opened the game with four straight hits from Luis Fuentes, Andres Contreras, Andrew Ramirez and Jackson Romero. A bases-loaded walk of Jake Mitchell put RSU in front with an early 2-0 lead as Contreras crossed home.
 
After the Jets briefly took a 3-2 lead in the top of the second, the wheels fell off for them in the home half as RSU exploded for six runs to go back up 8-3. Ramirez got things going with a three-run blast to the right field corner, plating Fuentes and Carson Cheatwood. Newman then proceeded to hit three batters with the bases loaded to bring in Romero, Weston Peninger and Mitchell.
 
RSU was not done as hung five runs in the third inning to extend the lead to 13-3. Ramirez launched his second round-tripper of the day, this one of the solo variety to lead off. Geovanni Blackshaw wore a pitch for the second time with the bases loaded, allowing Romero to cross home. Peninger and Mitchell later scored on Tyler Nelson and Cheatwood sacrifice flies, respectively. Blackshaw scored on a fielding error by the third baseman.
 
The Jets got a run back in the top of the fourth to cut the deficit to 13-4 with an RBI single to center.
 
The Hillcats tacked on four more runs in the top of the fourth to go up 17-4. The first two runs came in on back-to-back hit by pitches with the bases loaded, scoring Romero and Peninger. A bases-loaded walk of Cheatwood brought in Mitchell. Fuentes capped off the frame as he drove in Blackshaw with a sacrifice fly to center.
 
Newman got one final run in the top of the seventh with a bases-loaded walk to set the final score at 17-5.
 
Christopher Spry (3-0) earned the win after allowing four runs on four hits with five strikeouts in his 5.0-inning start. Lance Elsen (0-1) took the loss.
 
The Hillcats are back in action on Wednesday, March 12 with a non-conference, mid-week matchup against East Central inside the RCB Bank Sports Complex. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.