CLAREMORE, Okla. –  No. 15 Rogers State baseball (24-3, 12-1 MIAA) continued one of its strongest stretches in program history with a dominant 16-0 (7) win over Newman (4-24, 2-16 MIAA) on Sunday, completing a three-game run-rule series sweep at McCarthy Park. The Hillcats remain atop the MIAA standings, extended their win streak to 16 games and improved their road record to 9-0.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Sophomore Spencer Hatch (4-1) made his sixth start for the Hillcats and was credited with his fourth straight win of the season. The Las Vegas, Nevada native delivered 5.0 scoreless innings on the mound, allowing only four hits and walking one batter while collecting seven strikeouts to show for his efforts.
 
After a scoreless first, the Hillcats erupted in the second inning, tallying five hits and capitalizing on four errors by the Jets to plate six runs. Luis Fuentes' RBI single and Andrew Ramirez's two-RBI single highlighted the scoring barrage.
 
Singles by Andres Contreras, Trevor Spainhoward and Zak Nelson fueled the Cats' momentum in the fourth inning, driving in two additional runs. Meanwhile, Hatch held the Jets hitless in the bottom half, maintaining an 8-0 lead for the Hillcats.
 
The Hillcats' bats continued to outpace the Jets as they recorded five more runs off of five hits across the fifth and sixth innings, extending the lead to 13-0. Contreras contributed strongly during this stretch with a sacrifice fly in the fifth and an RBI double in the sixth.
 
In the final frame, the Hillcats used two hit-by-pitches, two walks, and defensive miscues by the Jets to plate three runs without recording a hit, sealing the 16-0 victory.
 
Senior Dylan Weddle closed the game with a 2.0 inning shutout to secure the Hillcats second shutout of the season. In his time on the mound, Weddle recorded a trio of strikeouts and two groundouts to hold the Jets scoreless.
 
INSIDE THE GAME

• Sammy Harris led the Cats at the plate with a 3-5 outing with two runs, an RBI and a walk.
• Ramirez added a strong performance at the plate with a 2-4 outing, including a double, with four RBIs, three runs and a walk.
• Contreras extended his team-leading hit streak to 12 games with his team-leading 12th straight multi-hit game. The senior finished 2-2, including a double, with three RBIs, two walks and one run.
• Nearly the entire lineup contributed as Rogers State saw 10 of its 12 hitters cross the plate in the series finale.
• Sunday's victory extends the Hillcats' win streak to 16, the most in the NCAA DII era, only three away from the current Rogers State record of 19, set in 2011.
• The victory marked the sixth run-rule win for the Hillcats in their last eight games.
• RSU outscored NU 52-15 in just 22 innings of work.

 
UP NEXT
The Hillcats will return to the RCB Bank Sports Complex to continue their historic season with a mid-week game against the Arkansas-Fort Smith Lions on Wednesday, March 25. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.