CLAREMORE, Okla. — No. 24 Hillcat baseball (19-3, 7-1 MIAA) secured two dominant victories over rival Northeastern State (7-18, 2-9 MIAA) on Friday at RCB Bank Sports Complex, winning a 13-3 run-rule in game one and 10-2 in game two. RSU extends its winning streak to 11 games and has now won six straight against NSU.
GAME 1: RSU 13, NSU 3 (7 Innings)
In the first game, the Hillcats took an early lead in the first inning after
Andrew Ramirez walked and advanced to third on a double by
Sammy Harris.
Andres Contreras grounded out to second base, allowing Ramirez to score and give the Hillcats a 1-0 advantage. RSU extended its lead in the third inning with
Luis Fuentes' single and a two-RBI single by Contreras, making it 3-0. The RiverHawks got on the board in the fourth inning after Klete Finley scored on an RBI single by Alex Nirider, cutting the lead to 3-1.
The decisive fifth inning saw RSU score seven runs, with singles from Contreras and
Trevor Spainhoward, a series of walks, and a two-run single from Ramirez. Contreras followed with another two-RBI single, extending the lead to 10-1. The RiverHawks added two more runs in the sixth inning, but the Hillcats capped off their scoring with three runs in the seventh, bringing the final score to 13-3 and forcing the run-rule.
Zach Horwith (3-0) delivered a solid start for RSU, pitching 6.0 innings while allowing 3 hits and striking out five batters. He issued three walks and surrendered two earned runs on 85 pitches. Contreras had a standout performance at the plate with four hits and five RBIs, while Spainhoward added three hits and drove in three runs.
GAME 2: RSU 10, NSU 2
In the second game, Rogers State took an early lead again with a three-run first inning, highlighted by Contreras' RBI single. Northeastern State responded in the second inning with Joseph Perry's two-RBI single, narrowing the gap to 3-2. However, RSU regained full control in the third when Contreras hit his third home run of the season, pushing the score to 4-2.
The Hillcats exploded for six runs in the fourth inning, with Ramirez clearing the bases with a three-RBI triple, while Contreras and
Zak Nelson added an RBI single each. The game concluded with RSU holding its 10-2 advantage through the final innings, securing the victory.
Dillon Dibrell (4-1) pitched effectively for the Cats', going 6.0 innings while allowing just four hits and one earned run, striking out four batters. Contreras led the Hillcats offensively with three hits, including a home run, and drove in three runs while scoring three times. Ramirez contributed with a triple, totaling three RBIs and scoring twice.
UP NEXT
The finale will be played at Rousey Field in Tahlequah tomorrow at 2 p.m. There will be no game scheduled for Sunday following this afternoon's doubleheader.
