CLAREMORE, Okla. - Rogers State baseball was able to come away with a win in a sloppy double-header vs. Wayland Baptist Thursday at the Hillcat Complex.
RSU committed eight errors on the day including five in the first game, a 6-5 victory over the Pioneers. However, the Hillcats gave up 11 hits in the second contest and committed three errors in a 9-0 loss to WBU in game two.
GAME ONE
Rogers State opened the game with an error by Jairo Valdez allowing Aldo Mendez to reach first. Three batters later, Mendez was batted in on a RBI single by Kevin Hennessey giving WBU the 1-0 lead.
The Hillcats got on the board when Pioneers' pitcher Marcus Limon walked Cade McKewon and Randy Ramirez. Sandwiched between those two walks, Colton West reached base on an error by the WBU second baseman Brian Embery. Cody Campbell scored McKewon and West on a two RBI single to right field. Kevin Radford's sac-fly to left field scored Ramirez from third giving RSU the 3-1 lead.
Hennessey and Mendez matched up yet again, this time in the top of the third inning after Mendez reached base on a double to right field. Hennessey knocked the centerfielder for the Pioneers in with a single to left field, cutting the RSU lead to 3-2 in the middle of the third.
RSU answered when Colton West reached home on a wild throw by Limon on a fielder's choice play at second, building the Hillcat lead back to two after three.
A single to left field followed by a fielding error moved Oscar Rivera into scoring position at second. Scott Keane entered to courtesy run for the catcher Rivera. Keane reached home when Mendez grounded out to West at first base, unassisted. Wayland wasn't finished as Eddie Allen singled to left and stole second. Allen reached home on a RBI double to right field by Miguel Pagan and tied the contest at 4-4.
Taylor Estes, pinch running for Cody Campbell, reached home on a throwing error by Rivera, the Pioneer catcher, as Estes attempted to steal third. The throw was off the mark and rolled down the left field line allowing Estes to score and give RSU the 5-4 lead in the fifth inning.
Hennessey scored on a RBI single by Rivera to left-center field and squared the game at five in the top of the seventh.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Hillcats scored the game winner on a bases loaded walk by Aldo Mendez to Cody Campbell, bringing Brandt Barnes home from third base.
Zack Williams (1-0) claimed the victory for the Hillcats after pitching the final two-third innings, striking out one. Tyler Garner went six and one-third innings giving up three earned runs on 11 hits while walking two in the Hillcat victory.
Derrick Sampel received the loss for the Pioneers after pitching one and two-thirds innings walking two and giving up one earned run.
GAME TWO
Casey Cassity had the Hillcats looking hot in the opening four innings, holding the Pioneers to three-up, three-down in the second, third and fourth innings. The fifth inning is when things turned sour for the sophomore southpaw.
After recording two outs, Nic Shadel hit a solo home run to left field breaking the scoring seal for the Pioneers. Rivera singled to right field as did right fielder Ben Christian. Rivera scored on a fielding error by the Cats short stop Ramirez and Christian moved from first to third on the error. Mendez singled to right to scored Christian. Two batters later Hennessey, facing Mario Mena for the Cats, doubled to left field scoring Allen and Mendez. Eric Faust became the third pitcher in the inning to see the mound and was able to sit down Calvin Boss for the third out. The damage was already done for the Diamond Cats, giving up five runs on six hits.
A pair of errors put two runners on in the sixth inning for the Pioneers as the scoring snowball continued to roll and grow. Embery reached base on one such error and scored on the other. Shadel scored on a ground out by Christian. A sac-fly to right field by Allen scored Keane, courtesy running for Rivera, giving WBU the 8-0 lead after six innings.
Wayland put another run on in the seventh when Embery's sacrifice fly to right field scored Pagan from third and gave the Pioneers their final score of 9-0.
RSU left five runners stranded in scoring position as Gabe Sandersius went the complete game for the Pioneers giving up two hits, walking four while striking seven for the victory.
Casey Cassity (4-2) registered the loss for the Hillcats pitching four and two-third innings giving up five runs on seven hits.
Third baseman Cade McKewon was impressive defensively for the Hillcats with eight assists on the day while not committing and error.
Rogers State (22-4, 6-2) will look to win the series versus Wayland Baptist (12-17, 2-9) on Friday, March 18 at the Hillcat Complex with first pitch of the nine inning contest coming at 1 p.m.
