OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Rogers State kept No. 5 Lubbock Christian's high-powered offense in check for eight innings Monday at Jim Wade Stadium in Oklahoma City.
 

The Hillcats carried the lead into the ninth inning of their Sooner Athletic Conference tournament opener, but couldn't hold off the defending national champs as they scored five runs in their last at-bat to grab a 12-8 victory. The loss dropped RSU into the elimination bracket where it will face either Oklahoma City or Northwestern Oklahoma State Monday at 7 p.m.
 

The Diamond Cats banged out nine extra-base hits against LCU and controlled the contest until the final inning. RSU took a three-run lead in the bottom of the second inning on a two-run double by Brandt Barnes. The Chaparrals answered with two runs in the top of the third, but the Cats came right back with two more tallies in the bottom half of the frame. Zach Hamby cranked a solo homer to start the inning and Colton West singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Billy Balak.
 

LCU again cut into the lead with two runs in the fourth. Reid Chenworth homered to centerfield and David Cruz singled home Marc Gomez to make it a 6-5 game. RSU starter Grant Cosby put up zeroes in each of the next two innings and RSU extended the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Balak doubled to start the at-bat and promptly scored on a triple by Rob Rodriguez. Rodriguez raced home on a two-out throwing error to push the lead to 8-5.
 

Chenworth made it a one-run game once more with a two-run homer to right-center in the top of the seventh. RSU clung to an 8-7 lead entering the ninth. Jacob Weenas retired the first hitter of the inning via a groundout before Richard Bohlken homered to tie the score at 8-8. Chenworth followed with a single and Weenas was removed in favor of Drew Taylor. Marc Gomez greeted Taylor with a single and J.J. Muse worked a four-pitch walk to load the bases.
 

Coach Ron Bradley then turned to right-hander Jordan Clark in a jam. Rafael Thomas lifted a sacrifice fly to right field off Clark to give LCU its first lead since the top of the first innings. Cruz then delivered the crushing blow with a three-run blast to left-center.
 

Hunter Scott pitched around a two-out double in the ninth to record the pitching victory. Scott (10-3) yielded just one hit over the final two innings. Wenaas (3-4) suffered the loss after giving up two runs on two hits in one inning of work.
 

West, Rodriguez and Kevin Radford accounted for six of the Cats' 12 hits. Cruz tallied five hits and four RBI for the Chaparrals. LCU beat RSU for the fourth straight time this season.
 

Rogers State (30-20) will face the loser of Monday afternoon's contest between Oklahoma City and Northwestern in an elimination game Monday night at 7 p.m. The game will be carried live on RSU Radio 91.3 FM and online at www.rsuhillcats.com.