CLAREMORE, Okla. - The Rogers State baseball team committed three crucial errors and the Oklahoma Baptist Bison posted a 5-3 extra-inning victory Thursday evening at the Hillcat Complex In Claremore.
The Hillcats managed to push across the game-tying run in the bottom of the ninth, but gave up two runs in the tenth to seal their fate.
After four scoreless innings, the Bison broke through with two unearned runs in the top of the fifth. OBU catcher Victor Manzano hit a routine ground ball to third baseman Colton West who threw wildly to first allowing Manzano to reach second. After a sacrifice bunt by shortstop Jonathan Gelpi, Sean Iago followed with a sacrifice fly out to right field that allowed courtesy runner Reece Alnas to score.
Following a Billy Jarka single, Anthony Lopez hit a grounder that rolled under first baseman Rob Rodriguez?s glove and put runners on the corners. Brenden Davis added the second run of the inning with a single to center that brought home Jarka.
The Bison added another run in the sixth on a single by Gelpi that scored Alnas from second.
The Hillcats finally got on the board in the bottom of the seventh with two runs. Third-baseman Colton West hit a liner to left that bounced off the knee of Lopez. After catcher Joe Manbodh walked, shortstop Luis Carraballo advanced the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt. Kevin Radford came through with a pinch-hit single to score West from third. Senior centerfielder Tyler Harold then cut the Bison lead to one with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Chris Brown from third to make it 3-2.
The Cats ninth-inning rally began with a one out double by Manbodh. Carraballo delivered a clutch single to center to tie the game.
With two outs and one on in the tenth, RSU reliever Josh Phillipi walked two straight batters to load the bases. Head coach Ron Bradley then turned to Jordan Clark who walked Lopez on four pitches and put the Bison ahead for good. Davis added an insurance run for the Bison on a misplayed grounder by third baseman Billy Balak.
The Hillcats made it interesting in the home half of the tenth. After a single by Brandt Barnes, Zach Hamby drew a walk. The runners advanced to second and third on a wild-pitch. The Hillcats? comeback attempt finally ended after Rodriguez struck out and Balak popped out to end the extra inning affair.
Rogers State (10-2, 3-1) will travel to Shawnee, Okla., on Saturday to complete the three-game series with OBU. First-pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m.
