CLAREMORE, Okla. — No. 29 Rogers State baseball (16-3) continues its historic start to the 2026 season, sweeping a doubleheader against Minnesota Duluth (3-9) on Saturday to claim the series, 4-0. The Hillcats won game one, 17-2, and game two, 8-4, at the RCB Bank Sports Complex.
 
With the victories, Rogers State is off to its best 19-game start in the NCAA Division II era. The team aims to achieve its best start as an NCAA institution on Tuesday at 2 p.m. in Alva against Northwestern Oklahoma State.
 
GAME 1: RSU 17, UMD 2
RSU secured a decisive 17-2 victory over UMD in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader. The Hillcats tallied 16 hits, including a home run and drew nine walks to dominate the non-conference matchup.
 
RSU opened the scoring in the first inning when Kade Goeke walked and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Sammy Harris. A throwing error allowed Andrew Ramirez to cross home plate, followed by Jake Mitchell's two-run homer. Nathan Gutierrez added another run from a sacrifice fly, giving RSU a 5-0 lead after the first inning.
 
In the second inning, Goeke singled and scored on Ramirez's hit, while Mitchell added an RBI with a double, extending the lead to 7-0 by the end of the inning.
 
The Hillcats maintained their offensive momentum in the third inning. Luis Fuentes and Ramirez scored on groundouts, while scored on a wild pitch. Gutierrez capped the inning with an RBI single to drive in Andres Contreras, expanding the lead to 11-0.
 
The Bulldogs managed their first run in the fourth with a solo home run. However, RSU responded with four more runs, including Goeke's RBI single and a run scored by Jordan Tucker on a passed ball, bringing the score to 15-1 after four innings.
 
In the sixth inning, Minnesota Duluth scored again on a single, but RSU extended its lead with two runs, one of which came on a passed ball, to claim the 15-run win.
 
Spencer Hatch (2-1) delivered a strong performance for RSU, pitching a career-high 6.0 innings and allowing just two earned runs on five hits. He struck out a career-high 13 batters and issued only one walk. Cannon Restine followed with a scoreless inning, facing just three batters and inducing a double play.
 
At the plate, Mitchell collected his fifth home run of the season and a double, while Andres Contreras notched the first triple of the season for the Hillcats. Additionally, Ramirez and Gutierrez both recorded three-hit performances.
 
GAME 2: RSU 8, UMD 4
In the second game, Rogers State secured an 8-4 victory over Minnesota Duluth, capitalizing on a four-run seventh inning to clinch the win.
 
The Hillcats took an early lead against the Bulldogs in the first inning. Goeke walked, and Ramirez singled, setting up Contreras' RBI single that scored Goeke. Mitchell followed with a single through the left side, bringing Ramirez home for a 2-0 lead.
 
Duluth tied the game in the third inning when Richardson's single through the right side scored two runs, leveling the score at 2-2. RSU regained the lead in the fourth inning, with Gutierrez, who was hit by a pitch, stealing two bases and scoring on Zak Nelson's fielder's choice for a 3-2 advantage.
 
In the seventh inning, the Hillcats extended their lead significantly. Harris doubled to score Ramirez, followed by a sacrifice fly from Gutierrez. Nelson capped the inning with a two-RBI single up the middle, increasing the score to 7-2. In the next innings, Goeke singled and later scored on Harris's RBI single, pushing the lead to six runs.
 
The Bulldogs attempted a late comeback in the ninth inning, scoring runs on a groundout and a sacrifice fly, but RSU held on for the 8-4 victory.
 
Cole Abbott (1-0) delivered a strong performance for the Hillcats, pitching five innings and allowing two earned runs on six hits, while striking out four batters and walking three. Ricardo Landeros provided solid relief, pitching three innings with one hit and four strikeouts. Christian Estep closed out the game in the ninth.
 
Nelson contributed significantly with three RBIs and two stolen bases, while Gutierrez showcased his speed with three stolen bases and an RBI. Gavin Gamino and Hariss both notched multi-hit games with a pair of hits each.