ALVA, Okla. —
Sammy Harris' two three-run home runs highlighted RSU baseball's (17-3, 5-1 MIAA) decisive 12-2 victory in eight innings over Northwestern Oklahoma State (12-13, 5-7) in the non-conference finale on Tuesday. RSU extended its winning streak to nine games.
With the win, the Hillcats secured their best start to a season since becoming an official NCAA Division II member. Hillcat baseball competed in its first season as a full NCAA member in the 2017 season after Rogers State University completed its membership process in July 2016. Last season, the Hillcats posted a record of 16-4 through 20 games and reached as high as No. 23 in the ABCA Coaches Poll.
In today's contest against the Rangers, the Hillcats' offense surged with three home runs and an eight-run eighth inning. They recorded 13 hits and scored 12 runs, leading to an early day at the ballpark with the run-rule in the eighth.
RSU took control in the third inning when Harris (3) hit a three-run homer to right center, scoring
Andrew Ramirez and
Luis Fuentes to put them up 3-0. The Rangers responded with a solo homer from Amari Goodfellow, closing the gap to 3-1.
In the fifth,
Andres Contreras (2) extended the Hillcats' lead with his second home run to left field, increasing the margin to 4-1. The Rangers managed to score in the sixth inning with a solo homer from Matthew Bailey, narrowing the score to 4-2.
The eighth inning was the decider for the Hillcats as they put the game out of reach with an eight-run outburst. Fuentes started the scoring with an RBI single, followed by a series of scoring sequences, including another three-run homer by Harris (4). The top of the inning ended with RSU leading 12-2, and they ultimately secured the run rule with a scoreless bottom half of the eighth from
Mason Trotter, capped by a 5-4-3 double play.
Damon Anderson-Wolf (4-0) pitched 5.0 innings in his third start of the season, allowing one earned run on seven hits while striking out one batter. He faced 21 batters and issued only one walk.
Elijah Knowlton relieved Wolf, tossing 2.0 innings and giving up one earned run on three hits with one strikeout. Trotter closed the game with one inning of work.
Harris led the Cats with a 3-for-4 outing, driving in six RBIs from a pair of three-run homers and adding a single. Contreras made an impact by hitting a home run and scoring twice. Meanwhile, Fuentes contributed with two hits, scored twice and drove in two runs.
The Hillcats will return to the RCB Bank Sports Complex on Friday at 2 p.m. against rival Northeastern State.
