CLAREMORE, Okla. — No. 7 Rogers State baseball (36-7, 24-5 MIAA) improved to 10-0 in MIAA series with a 12-5 win in Sunday's finale over the Washburn Ichabods (18-25, 14-15 MIAA) at the RCB Bank Sports Complex.
Washburn jumped ahead early in the second inning. Jack Borgmann scored after being hit by a pitch, followed by Brandt Beeby's double and Jackson Mervosh's bunt single. Trenton Barry's single to center field brought in two more runs, giving the Ichabods a 3-0 lead.
RSU responded in the third inning.
Andrew Ramirez doubled and was driven home by
Sammy Harris with a double to left center. This cut the Ichabods' lead to 3-1.
Washburn added another run in the fourth inning with Ian Luce's RBI single, extending its lead to 4-1.
In the fifth inning, Jack Borgmann's double led to another Washburn run, but the Cats' countered with two runs.
Luis Fuentes and
Kade Goeke reached base and scored on a two-RBI single by Harris, narrowing the deficit to 5-3.
The seventh inning was pivotal for RSU. Ramirez led off with a double, and a series of hits, walks and hit-by-pitches resulted in nine runs. Key contributions included
Jake Mitchell's RBI hit-by-pitch and
Nathan Gutierrez's RBI single.
Andres Contreras capped the inning with a two-RBI single, bringing the score to 12-5.
The Hillcats maintained their lead through the final innings, securing a 12-5 victory over the Ichabods.
Spencer Hatch made his 11th for RSU, pitching 3.2 innings with five strikeouts, while allowing four earned runs on six hits and one walk in the no-decision.
Dylan Weddle relieved Hatch, contributing 1.1innings and giving up one earned run on three hits.
Cole Abbott (2-0) followed with 2.0 innings, securing the win and recording two strikeouts without allowing any runs.
Michael Klein closed the game, pitching 2.0 scoreless innings with three strikeouts, allowing only two hits.
Ramirez delivered a standout performance by scoring three runs and recording three hits, including two doubles. Harris contributed significantly with three hits and three RBIs, adding a double to his tally. Contreras added two hits and drove in two runs, providing a solid offensive presence. Goeke crossed the plate twice and drew two walks, enhancing the team's scoring opportunities.
Rogers State will return to action for the final regular season contest at the RCB Bank Sports Complex on Wednesday at 2 p.m. against Arkansas-Fort Smith. The Hillcats aim for the season-series sweep over the Lions before wrapping up the regular season on the road at No. 10 Pittsburg State and Missouri Western.
