PLAINVIEW, Texas - Rogers State couldn't avoid the big inning as Oklahoma Baptist scored seven runs in the bottom of the seventh to knock off the Hillcats 10-5 in the opening round of the Sooner Athletic Conference tournament in Plainview, Texas, Tuesday.
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RSU held the lead for the first six innings before coming unraveled in the seventh. Christian Ruiz was hit by a pitch with one out to begin the rally. Whitt Barkley followed with what should have been a routine grounder to short before the ball hit a sprinkler head and hopped over the head of Blake Kelley for a base hit. Cody Lambeth struck out for the second out and then RSU starter Chris Graves loaded the bases by walking Billy Thomas.
Graves plunked Kyle Cooper with the next pitch to force home a run and tie the game, 3-3. Josh Collazo chopped a two-run single up the middle to make it 5-3 and then Chris Chambers delivered the big blow with a grand slam. Chambers' blast came off reliever Grant Cosby and hit off the top of the left field wall before bouncing over to give the Bison a 9-3 advantage.
Ryan Littlejohn cranked a solo home run to left field in the top of the eighth and Ryan Salsbury picked up an RBI double in the ninth to reach the final margin, 10-5.
The Cats took the early lead after Greg Speed led off the game with a double and scored on a two-out single by Zach Hamby. Speed ripped a two-run triple in the second inning to make it 3-0 in favor of RSU. OBU put together three hits in the bottom of the second to cut the lead to 3-2.
Graves (3-4) was solid through the first six innings, allowing just two runs. He was charged for eight runs on six hits in 6.2 innings of work while fanning eight. Josh Palmer (4-3) earned the win for the Bison with 7.2 innings on the hill. Palmer gave up four runs on nine hits with 12 strikeouts. Speed, Hamby, Littlejohn and Brandon Denton tallied two hits apiece for the Hillcats. Chambers led OBU with two hits and five RBI.
Rogers State (34-15) will play St. Gregory's in an elimination contest Wednesday at Wilder Field. First pitch is slated for 10 a.m. and the game can be heard live on RSU Radio 91.3 FM.
