CLAREMORE, Okla.- After falling in the opening game on Saturday, No. 11 Rogers State earned a victory in the nightcap to avoid a series sweep by No. 5 Oklahoma Baptist at Hillcat Complex.
The Bison rallied for a 3-1 victory in the first game of the doubleheader to win the series after defeating RSU 14-4 at Bison Field on Thursday. RSU escaped the sweep with a 4-1 victory in the nightcap.
GAME ONE
A trio of Hillcat errors proved to be costly as they fell 3-1 in the opening game.
With two outs in the third, Cade McKewon reached base after being hit by a pitch. Senior Colton West followed with a single to shallow centerfield and McKewon scored from first base to give the Cats a 1-0 advantage.
The Bison gained the lead in the fifth with a pair of runs off two RSU errors. With two outs, Terrence Buchanan hit an RBI single to plate Reese Alnas who reached base on an error earlier in the inning. Jordan Newton scored on a bobble by right fielder Keith Poverud to give OBU a 2-1 lead.
OBU pushed its final run across home plate in the seventh inning. Catcher Mitchell Prophet reached first on an error by shot stop Randy Ramirez. With one out, Pitcher Matt Sample walked the next three hitters and courtesy runner Jake Kiebe walked in OBU's third run.
The Hillcats placed runners on first and third in the bottom of the seventh however, they were unable to register a run.
Junior Tyler Garner (5-2) was tagged with the loss despite a solid effort. He allowed two unearned runs on six hits with six strikeouts. Chad Hardison recorded his third win of the season and Kyle Brule registered his second save.
Colton West and Brandt Barnes tallied two hits apiece for the Hillcats.
GAME TWO
RSU posted a pair of runs in both the third and sixth innings to win the final game of the series, 4-1.
Michael Sliger led off the second inning with a walk and scored on a double off the wall in centerfield by Prophet to give OBU an early 1-0 lead.
Barnes tied the score with a RBI double to centerfield that allowed Estes to reach home. Jairo Valdez followed with a single and Barnes scored to give the Hillcats a 2-1 lead in the third.
In the sixth, West hit an infield single and Cody Campbell followed with a home run belted over the left field fence to push the Cats advantage to 4-1.
RSU retired the side in the seventh to secure the win.
Jim Miner (2-0) registered the complete game victory for the Hillcats. The junior southpaw allowed one run on four hits with three strikeouts. Jesse Orozco suffered his first loss of the season as he allowed four runs on seven hits in five and two third innings.
Joe Manbodh was the only Hillcat to tally multiple hits as he went 2-for-2 in the contest.
Rogers State (32-10, 13-8) returns to action on Tuesday as they host Bacone College in a twin bill at Hillcat Complex. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
