CLAREMORE, Okla. - Rogers State came up on the short end of two tightly contested games against No. 1 Lubbock Christian Thursday afternoon at the Hillcat Complex in Claremore.
 

The Hillcats let a four-run lead slip away in the series opener as the Chaparrals rallied for six runs over the final two innings to post a 9-7 victory. LCU scored two early runs and kept the RSU offense in check en route to a 3-1 win in the nightcap. The two teams will complete the series with a nine inning contest Friday afternoon at 1 p.m.

GAME ONE
 

The Diamond Cats tallied runs in four of the first five innings but were unable to hold off the Chaps high-powered offense.
 

Brandt Barnes gave RSU a 3-2 advantage with a two-run single to right field in the bottom of the second inning. Luis Caraballo added a two-run single up the middle in the third, giving RSU starter Grant Cosby some breathing room early on.
 

After surrendering a two-run homer to Joe Staley in the top of the first inning Cosby settled in to a rhythm on the hill. He kept the Chaps off the scoreboard until the fifth when David Cruz cut into the lead with an RBI single to make it 5-3. The Hillcats added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to push the margin back to four. Tyler Harold plated Colton West with a single to right and Barnes chased home Rob Rodriguez with a sacrifice fly.
 

However, the defending national champions answered with four runs in the top of the sixth to tie the game. The Chaps started the frame with back-to-back singles and the Cats compounded the situation with an error at third base. Two more soft singles to right field followed the error and evened the score at 7-7.
 

Richard Bohlken tagged Cosby for a one-out triple in the top of the seventh, forcing Coach Ron Bradley to go to his bullpen. Drew Taylor issued an intentional walk to Staley before giving up a double to Ross Blondin. Blondin's rip to right gave LCU its first lead of the game. The Chaps tacked on an insurance run with two singles off Jordan Clark before finishing the at-bat.
 

RSU put runners in scoring position in the sixth and seventh innings before Hunter Scott slammed the door. The Cats stranded 12 runners in the contest while the Chaps left just four. Scott (5-2) earned the win with 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. Cosby (3-2) suffered the loss in 6.1 innings of work.

GAME TWO
 

Runs came at a premium in the nightcap as Tyler Garner and Paul Gonzalez locked into a pitcher's duel.
 

LCU struck first with single tallies in the second and third innings. The Cats cut the lead in half as Zach Hamby singled to start the fourth and later scored on a single by West. Marc Gomez and Cruz swatted consecutive doubles in the fifth to produce the final run of the game.
 

Gonzalez (3-1) scattered five hits across 5.1 innings to earn the victory. Scott came on in relief for the second consecutive game and earned a save with 1.1 innings of perfect relief. He struck out the side in the seventh to secure the series victory for the Chaps.
 

Garner (5-2) deserved a better fate after holding LCU to just three runs on seven hits in a complete-game performance. Hamby and West combined for four of the Hillcats' five hits in the contest.
 

Rogers State (15-8, 5-6) has lost five consecutive conference games and six of its last seven overall. Lubbock Christian (20-9, 8-3) moved into sole possession of the second place in the Sooner Athletic Conference standings with the Thursday sweep. The final game of the series is set for 1 p.m. Friday at the Hillcat Complex in Claremore.