CLAREMORE, Okla. — No. 29 RSU baseball (14-3) showcased its offensive prowess in a doubleheader sweep against Minnesota Duluth (3-7) on Friday, securing victories of 7-3 and 9-5 at the RCB Bank Sports Complex. In these two games, the Hillcats totaled 27 hits, including six doubles, leading to 16 runs.
 
GAME 1: RSU 7, UMD 3
In Game 1, Rogers State scored all seven of its runs in a pivotal third inning. Minnesota Duluth opened the scoring in the top of the third with an RBI single. However, the Hillcats quickly responded in the bottom half. Luis Fuentes doubled, followed by a single from Kade Goeke. A throwing error allowed Fuentes to score, tying the game at 1-1. Sammy Harris then doubled to center, driving in two runs, while Jake Mitchell added an RBI single. Trevor Spainhoward added another RBI single, while Goeke capped the scoring with a single up the middle, driving home two more runs and pushing Rogers State ahead 7-1 after three innings.
 
Minnesota Duluth closed the gap in the fifth inning with two runs, cutting Rogers State's lead to 7-3. Both teams were held scoreless for the remainder of the game, with the Hillcats concluding Game 1 with a final score of 7-3.
 
Zach Horwith (2-0) pitched a complete game for the Hillcats, going seven innings while allowing three earned runs on seven hits. He did not issue any walks and struck out four batters.
 
Goeke recorded three hits and drove in two runs. Harris contributed with a double and two RBIs. Andrew Ramirez added two hits, drew a walk and stole a base.
 
GAME 2: RSU 9, UMD 5
In Game 2, Minnesota Duluth took an early lead in the first inning with a sacrifice fly. The Hillcats responded in the bottom of the first when Andres Contreras doubled to left-center, but they could not capitalize, leaving the inning trailing 1-0.
 
The third inning saw RSU break through, starting with Harris singling to center. Mitchell followed with a double, bringing in Harris. Fuentes and Blake Conrad added to the momentum, with Fuentes driving in Mitchell and Conrad doubling to score two more runs. This offensive burst gave the Hillcats a 4-1 lead through three innings.
 
RSU extended its lead in the fifth inning when Zak Nelson doubled to left field and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Contreras, making it 5-1 after five innings. The sixth inning was action-packed, with the Bulldogs narrowing the gap by scoring three runs—all of them unearned—following a throwing error. However, the Hillcats quickly answered back in the bottom half, with Z. Nelson and Fuentes driving in runs with doubles to push the lead to 8-4 after six innings.
 
In the eighth inning, the Bulldogs added a run with an RBI single, but RSU quickly responded. Z. Nelson walked, advanced to third on a wild pitch and a balk, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Conrad, securing a 9-5 advantage. The Hillcats maintained their lead in the ninth, with Michael Klein closing out the game to ensure a 9-5 victory.
 
Dillon Dibrell started on the mound for RSU in Game 2, delivering four innings with five strikeouts and allowing one earned run on six hits. Reliever Damon Anderson Wolf (3-0) pitched two innings, picking up his third win of the season, recording one strikeout while conceding three runs on three hits and two walks, resulting in a WHIP of 2.50. Dylan Weddle followed with two innings, allowing one earned run on two hits and one walk and successfully picking off a runner at third. Klein closed the game with one inning, yielding two hits and one hit batter, while navigating through without allowing a run.
 
Z. Nelson led the team with three runs scored and two RBIs, aided by two doubles—his first double being his first hit of the season. Fuentes contributed three hits, including a double, and drove in two runs. Conrad had three RBIs with a double and a sacrifice fly. Mitchell scored twice, collected two hits, and added an RBI while drawing a walk.
 
UP NEXT
RSU and UMD will return to the RCB Bank Sports Complex tomorrow for a 12 and 2:30 p.m. doubleheader. With the chance of rain, stay tuned for any scheduled change announcements on 2026 Baseball Schedule - Rogers State University Athletics