CLAREMORE, Okla. – The 21st season of Rogers State baseball kicks off this week with a four-game series against UMary at the RCB Bank Sports Complex.
 
Action against the Marauders begins Friday with a single game at 1 p.m., followed by a doubleheader Saturday at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. The series finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
 
This marks the second all-time meeting between RSU and UMary, with the Hillcats winning the inaugural matchup 5-0 in 2020 in Cleburne, Texas.
 
Head coach Chris Klimas commented on preseason preparation, saying, "At this point, the hay is kind of in the barn. The worst thing you can have is surprises, and we looked like what I expected us to look like. So, that's a positive for me." He added, "Leading up to this point, I feel we've prepared ourselves well and everyone has come back from break in good shape, about where we wanted them to be."

PRESEASON SCOUTING REPORT
Rogers State will have 27 players on its roster this season, including 11 returners and 16 newcomers.
 
On the chemistry between the newcomers and returners, Klimas said, "I think it's been really good. They all genuinely care about each other and what's happening on the baseball side of things. They get along and enjoy being around one another. While that doesn't always translate to winning, it sure doesn't hurt. Overall, it's been a really good group to be around. They work hard, do what you ask of them and it's important to them. They genuinely like each other and are extremely coachable."
 
Klimas is entering his 12th season as head coach for the Red and Navy. The Broken Arrow native has a record of 274-235 entering the season and is just seven wins away from tying RSU Hall of Famer Ron Bradley for the most wins in program history.
 
The Hillcats are looking to improve on last season's overall record of 29-20, which included a 19-17 mark in conference play. They have qualified for the MIAA Tournament in every season since joining the league, except for 2020, when the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
"We left some food on the table and didn't finish a few games that slipped away from us," Klimas said on the 2025 season. "It wasn't about a lack of effort, potential, or skill; some games just got away from us, particularly on the road. In this league, which is very offense-focused, having the last at-bat is a significant advantage in conference games."
 
Klimas added that every game matters and every opportunity counts. "We had opportunities and leads late in several games but just came up short. It wasn't that we gave those games away; we simply didn't capitalize on our chances. In our conference and region, every single game counts, and that's where we ended up at the end."
 
HONORING THE 2012 TEAM
On Saturday, Jan. 31, the 2012 RSU Baseball team was inducted into the RSU Hall of Fame, becoming the first Hillcat Baseball team to receive this honor.
 
"Really neat! That's a great group of guys and a strong alumni network," Klimas commented on the 2012 Baseball team being inducted into the Hall of Fame. "When I was hired here after coming from OBU, there was some contention because it was viewed as a rivalry. An outsider coming in might not have sat well with everyone. However, when I arrived, the alumni were fantastic. They return for many of our events and are highly involved. I have nothing but positive things to say about them; they were fun to compete against. These guys will be competitors for life. If you start a wiffleball game out of nowhere, they'll give it their all to win—that's just who they are. I'm extremely happy for them."
 
Coached by Hall of Famer Ron Bradley, the 2012 team is recognized as one of the best in the program's history, finishing the season 49-16 and earning the runner-up position at the NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho.
 
The Hillcats started the season strong, achieving a 12-0 record and reaching No. 19 in the NAIA poll before concluding the regular season 41-12. After a challenging start in the postseason, they rebounded with an at-large bid to the NAIA Tournament, where they defeated No. 17 Judson and avenged a previous loss to No. 7 Oklahoma Baptist.
 
Motivated by their fallen teammate, Tyler Brown, who passed away in November 2011, the Hillcats embarked on a remarkable journey that remains part of RSU's history. Brown's initials were painted in the on-deck circle, imprinted on the bracket, and featured on each player's cap. Additionally, the Hillcats broke each huddle in honor of Brown. Dubbed the "Cardiac Cats" by media and fans, the team won the hearts of supporters in the Lewiston community.
 
In all four of their tournament victories, the Hillcats pulled off upsets, including a 2-1 win over top-ranked LSU-Shreveport, where senior left-hander Brandon Bargas set a NAIA record with 18 strikeouts in 9.0 innings. Senior outfielder Eric Baker excelled against No. 2 Lee, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and a triple in the 7-5 victory. Coached by Hall of Famer Ron Bradley, the 2012 team is recognized as one of the best in the program's history, finishing the season 49-16 and earning the runner-up position at the NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho.
 
REMAINING NON-CONFERENCE SLATE
RSU's additional non-conference home games feature a three-game series against Missouri-St. Louis on Feb. 14-15, a midweek contest against East Central on Feb. 17 and a pair of doubleheaders versus Minnesota Duluth on March 6-7.
 
Non-conference road action will start with a game at East Central on Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 2 p.m. They will also visit Northwestern Oklahoma State for another non-conference matchup on March 10 at 2 p.m.
 
MIAA AT A GLANCE
Rogers State was picked to finish seventh in the MIAA preseason poll. The Hillcats, who ended the 2025 regular season in fifth place, ranked ahead of Emporia State and Northwest Missouri State.
 
"When the email came through about doing the preseason poll, I called a couple of coaches in the league and I was uncertain on how to rank the teams. Many of them had over 20 seniors last year. I believe we returned a solid number of experienced players from a successful team. I feel we're in a good position, especially with the quality additions we've made to complement our returning guys.
 
The league is tough to predict. Last year, we entered the final weekend with Fort Hays and our finish could have varied anywhere from fourth to ninth or 10th. It's always so competitive and you never know who will make the tournament. The standings aren't determined until the last few weeks of the season, which makes it unpredictable."
 
Defending MIAA Regular Season Champions and NCAA runners-up, No. 2 Central Missouri, are favored to win the conference. Other prominent teams include Pittsburg State, Central Oklahoma and Missouri Southern, according to the preseason coaches' poll.
 
MIAA play opens at home with a three-game series against Missouri Southern from February 20-22. Rival Northeastern State visits Claremore from March 13-15. Later in March, Arkansas-Fort Smith (March 25), Emporia State (March 27-29), and Central Oklahoma (March 31) will also compete in Claremore.
 
In April, Northwest Missouri State comes for a series from April 10-12, followed by Washburn from April 17-19. Senior Day is scheduled for April 22 against Arkansas-Fort Smith.
 
Conference road play starts with a three-game series against Fort Hays State from February 27 to March 1, followed by midweek games at Northeastern State on March 14 and Central Oklahoma on March 17. The Hillcats will face the Newman Jets in a three-game series in Wichita from March 20-22.
 
April begins with a series against national runner-up Central Missouri from April 2-4. The Hillcats will then visit Arkansas-Fort Smith on April 7 and Central Oklahoma on April 14, followed by a three-game series at Pittsburg State from April 24-26 and at Missouri Western from April 30 to May 2 to conclude the regular season.
 
The 2026 MIAA Tournament is scheduled for May 6-10 in Edmond. NCAA Tournament play will kick off with the Central Regionals from May 14-16, followed by Super Regionals on May 21-23. The College World Series takes place in Cary, North Carolina, from May 29 to June 6.

MEET THE HILLCATS: PITCHERS
Seventeen players comprise the Hillcat pitching staff. Last season, RSU recorded a team ERA of 5.29, a WHIP of 1.48 and a team opponent batting average of .269. The Cats tallied 325 strikeouts and issued 186 walks.
 
Potential Starters
Senior righty Cole Abbott returns to the mound for the Hillcats this season after appearing in 12 games, with 10 starts, in his first year with the team. The Bixby, Oklahoma, native finished the season with a 2-4 record, earning victories over Colorado Christian and Arkansas-Fort Smith. Abbott recorded a 5.19 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP, accumulating 40 strikeouts in 60.2 innings. His season-high five strikeouts came against Central Oklahoma.
 
Senior Ricardo Landeros is preparing for his second season with the Hillcats. Last season, the Chula Vista, California, native appeared in 15 games, making one start on the mound. He recorded a 3-2 record and earned a save against Missouri Western. The right-hander pitcher finished the season with a 5.75 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP over 20.1 innings, tallying 11 strikeouts, including two in three different games.
 
Junior right-hander Damon Anderson-Wolf joins the program from Saddleback Community College. In two seasons with the Bobcats, the Aliso Viejo, California, native pitched 104 innings over 23 starts, posting an 8-4 record with a 5.19 ERA and 57 strikeouts.
 
Lefty Dillon Dibrell is competing for a spot in the starting rotation after spending two seasons at rival Central Oklahoma. In 2025, he made five mound appearances for the Bronchos, recording one strikeout in 1.1 innings. The Piedmont native redshirted during his first season at UCO. Before Central Oklahoma, Dibrell played at Northern Oklahoma College (Enid) in 2022 and 2023, appearing in 15 games, including eight starts. He posted a 5.50 ERA and a 1.84 WHIP over 35.1 innings, striking out 32 batters.
 
Spencer Hatch, a left-handed pitcher with NCAA Division I experience, played two seasons at Tarleton State. In 2025, the Las Vegas, Nevada, native appeared in three games and struck out four batters in 2.1 innings. In 2024, he appeared in 17 games and recorded 14 strikeouts over 16 innings.
 
Zach Horwith aims to solidify a spot in the starting rotation after transferring from Division I Bellarmine. In 14 appearances, including 11 starts, he recorded 18 strikeouts over 44 innings. Prior to Bellarmine, Zach played at Wabash Valley Community College in 2024, where he went 1-0 with 15 strikeouts in 13.1 innings over 11 games. He was also rostered at Fort Scott Community College.
 
Projected Relievers
Dylan Weddle is set to return for his senior season with the Hillcats. The Honolulu, Hawaii, native made 12 appearances on the mound in 2025 during his first season at Rogers State. finishing with 10 strikeouts over 17.2 innings. He recorded a season-high two strikeouts in a victory against Colorado Christian.
 
Senior right-handed pitcher Cannon Restine returns for his second season with the Hillcats. Last season, the San Diego, California, native appeared in seven games, totaling 4.2 innings pitched. He had a season-high performance of 2.0 innings with one strikeout during the win against Colorado Christian and added another strikeout in the game against Central Missouri.
 
Junior Christian Estep is a right-handed transfer from Northern Oklahoma College in Enid. During his two seasons there, the Oklahoma City native appeared in 18 games, making 11 starts as a pitcher. He posted a 6-2 record with a 5.60 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP. Estep tallied 71 strikeouts, including 60 in 2024. Additionally, he demonstrated his batting skills by hitting .299 with a .382 on-base percentage and a .433 slugging percentage over 40 games. He recorded 20 hits, 17 RBIs, three walks, one stolen base, two home runs and three doubles.
 
Elijah Knowlton joins the program after spending two seasons at Edmonds Community College. The Bellingham, Washington, native appeared in 29 games, making eight starts for the Tritons. He recorded a 4-6 win-loss record and three saves while posting a 4.18 ERA and 1.37 WHIP over 71 innings pitched. Knowlton tallied 76 strikeouts, including 48 during the 2025 season.
 
Another left-handed pitcher, Michael Klein, joined the program during the holiday break and aims to make an immediate impact. In two seasons at Fresno City College, the Fresno, California, native appeared in 24 games for the Rams, finishing with a 1.73 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP over 41.2 innings. He earned a 1-2 record with eight saves and recorded a total of 54 strikeouts, including 50 in the last season.
 
Lefty Mason Trotter, a native of Midwest City, joins the team after spending two seasons at Eastern Oklahoma State College. During his time with the Mountaineers, the Carl Albert High School graduate appeared in 37 games, going 2-2 with four saves. He finished with a 3.46 ERA overall and a 1.79 WHIP over 52 innings of work. Trotter recorded a total of 58 strikeouts, including 34 in the 2025 season.

MEET THE HILLCATS: CATCHERS
Blake Conrad and Trevor Spainhoward are the two contenders to take over for All-MIAA Third Team selection Weston Peninger.
 
Conrad, a senior D1 transfer from Saint Mary's College, is a native of San Marcos, California. In 2025, he played in five games, starting four as a catcher for the Gaels. Over those appearances, he had eight at-bats and recorded a fielding percentage of .958, totaling 22 putouts, one assist and one error, while successfully catching a runner stealing against UNLV. Before his time at Saint Mary's, Conrad played at Edmonds Community College, where he appeared in 36 games in 2024. He finished that season with a batting average of .274, an on-base percentage of .404 and a slugging percentage of .308, totaling 32 hits, including four doubles and driving in 13 runs. In 2023, he participated in 24 games, ending the season with a batting average of .277, an on-base percentage of .365 and a slugging percentage of .337, collecting 23 hits, five doubles and 10 RBIs.
 
Spainhoward is a senior who comes to the team from Division I California Baptist. In 2025, he appeared in 33 games and started 23. He recorded a batting line of .249/.419/.386, accumulating 14 hits and 13 RBIs in 57 plate appearances. Before joining California Baptist, the Bakersfield, California native played two seasons at Bakersfield Junior College. During those two seasons, he appeared in 74 games, finishing with a batting line of .281/.427/.338. He tallied 73 hits, scored 63 runs, drove in 48 RBIs, drew 52 walks and stole five bases. Additionally, Spainhoward recorded 13 extra-base hits, including 12 doubles and one home run.

MEET THE HILLCATS: INFIELDERS
The infield is wide open heading into the season, with several players able to play all the positions and time in the outfield.
 
Senior second baseman Andrew Ramirez returns after an outstanding 2025 season. The Ramona, California, native earned selections to the ABCA All-Central Region Defensive Team and the All-MIAA First Team. He started all 49 games for the Hillcats and led the team in several key statistics: batting average (.335), hits (66), runs (44), RBIs (60) and home runs (13). Ramirez posted a slugging percentage of .604 and an on-base percentage of .427. He had six games with three hits, including a 3-for-5 performance with a home run in a victory over Fort Hays State. Additionally, he tallied back-to-back games with two home runs against Newman and East Central. Defensively, Ramirez recorded 113 putouts, 129 assists and four errors for a fielding percentage of .984. He also drew 27 walks and stole four bases.
 
"It's going to be really hard to replicate the season he had last year. He was dynamic for us—clutch, drove in many runs and had numerous extra-base hits. Reproducing that will be challenging. It's important for him not to focus on being better than last year, as that will be difficult to achieve. He's consistently solid, shows up and competes hard every day. He plays with intensity and it means a lot to him. He's definitely a leader on this team, and I expect him to have a great year."
 
Senior Jake Mitchell is expected to have another strong season in the infield for the Hillcats. In 2025, the Pawnee, Oklahoma, native played in and started 48 games for the team. He posted a batting line of .229/.404/.392, with 36 hits, 41 runs and 39 RBIs, in addition to stealing 10 bases. Mitchell led the team with 39 walks and recorded 12 extra-base hits, which included seven doubles and five home runs. Notably, he went 3-for-4 with three doubles, three RBIs and two runs in a victory over Northeastern State. Defensively, he posted a .972 fielding average, recording 95 putouts, making eight assists and committing only three errors.
 
Sammy Harris joins the team as a third baseman after spending the previous season at Arkansas-Little Rock. In 2025, he played in 45 games, making 33 starts for the Trojans, posting a .280 batting average with nine doubles, two home runs and 21 RBIs. He played a key role in Little Rock's appearance in the NCAA Division I Regional, where the team recorded upsets over No. 1 LSU and No. 20 Dallas Baptist. In the win against LSU, Harris went 2-for-3 with a double, a run, and a walk. Before his time at Little Rock, the Wylie, Texas, native played at Wichita State and Northern Oklahoma College in Enid.
 
Senior Tyler Nelson returns to shortstop after an impressive 2025 season. The Salem, Utah, native appeared in 49 games, starting 47 and posted a .271 batting average with a .389 on-base percentage and a .350 slugging percentage. He recorded 48 hits, 36 RBIs, 34 runs, 28 walks and 12 stolen bases. Nelson tallied 12 extra-base hits, including 11 doubles and a home run against Emporia State. He also had a three-hit game against Pittsburg State and registered a pair of doubles against Arkansas-Fort Smith. In the field, he recorded a .965 fielding percentage with 70 putouts, 150 assists, and eight errors.
 
Senior utility Kade Goeke of Enid, Oklahoma, competed for Arkansas-Little Rock during the 2025 season, appearing in 29 games and starting 16, including a victory over No. 20 Dallas Baptist in the NCAA Tournament. He boasted a batting average of .333 and excelled defensively with a .930 fielding percentage. In 2024, he pitched in two games, recording two strikeouts. Prior to joining Arkansas-Little Rock, Goeke played at Northern Oklahoma College, where he finished his freshman year with a career batting average of .321 and a total of 48 RBIs. Goeke can see time in either the infield or the outfield this season.
 
Senior utility transfer Nathan Gutierrez spent the last two seasons at Metropolitan State. In 2025, he appeared in 15 games and made two starts, posting a .313 batting average with five hits, including two doubles and contributing three runs. Before joining Metropolitan State, the Castle Rock, Colorado, native played 57 games at Northern Oklahoma-Enid, where he had an impressive batting average of .405. During his time there, he hit 18 doubles, six triples, five home runs, drove in 37 RBIs and stole 19 bases.

MEET THE HILLCATS: OUTFIELDERS
The outfield will have some depth with a mix of newcomers and returning players who will look to protect the skies.
 
Senior Andres Contreras is returning to the outfield after earning All-MIAA Third Team honors last season. The Chula Vista, California, native played in all 35 games in 2025, finishing the season with a .285 batting average, a .377 on-base percentage and a .542 slugging percentage. He recorded 41 hits, 31 RBIs  and scored 29 runs, while also drawing 16 walks and stealing two bases. Contreras tallied 20 extra-base hits, including 11 doubles, eight home runs, and one triple. Notably, he had a standout game against Fort Hays State, going 4-for-5 with two doubles.
 
Luis Fuentes is back for his final season with the Hillcats. Last season, the Bakersfield, California, native appeared in 46 games, making 45 starts. He recorded a .277 batting average, a .379 on-base percentage and a .331 slugging percentage, totaling 46 hits, 24 RBIs, 37 runs, seven stolen bases, and six walks. Fuentes notched seven extra-base hits, including six doubles and a home run against Northwest Missouri State. He also had a five-hit game in a victory over Southwest Baptist. Defensively, he had a fielding percentage of .985, with 65 putouts, two assists and one error.
 
Senior Jordan Tucker returns this season after redshirting in 2025. Before joining RSU, he played at Hutchinson Community College, where he achieved a .401 batting average, stole 31 bases, and hit five home runs. He earned All-Conference Honorable Mention and helped his team finish as the runner-up in the Jayhawk Conference. At Bismarck State College, Tucker recorded an impressive .464 batting average, stole 15 bases, and hit seven home runs, earning First Team All-Conference honors.
 
Junior Gavin Gamino joins the team from San Diego Mesa. The Oceanside, California, native earned a spot on the PCAC Baseball All-Conference First Team in 2025. In 41 games, he posted a .350 batting average, recording four home runs, 36 RBIs, 34 runs and two stolen bases. In 2024, he appeared in 26 games, achieving a batting line of .283/.383/.348, with 26 hits, 12 RBIs, 11 runs and six stolen bases.
 
Junior Zak Nelson, the brother of teammate Tyler, joins the outfield after transferring from Utah State-Eastern in 2025. The Salem, Utah, native appeared in 51 games, achieving a batting line of .299/.388/.424. He recorded 55 hits, 31 RBIs and 22 walks, while also scoring 39 runs and stealing 10 bases.
 
FINAL WORDS FROM COACH KLIMAS
"Throughout my 25 years of coaching small college baseball, I've come to realize that Roger State has one of the most challenging fields for opposing teams. The unique layout, with its humidity and surrounding nature reserve, creates conditions where the ball doesn't carry. Unlike many fields in our league, if teams come here solely planning to lift and hit home runs, they will struggle. Many teams dislike playing here, which gives us a significant home-field advantage.
 
I always stress to our teams that we need to prioritize winning at home before we can focus on success on the road. Over the past 10 years, our record at home shows we're 30 games above .500, making it a tough venue for opponents. Any support we receive to defend our home field is invaluable."