SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Rogers State softball team came away from the 2012 Evangel Softball Tournament with four wins and just one loss over the two-day, weekend tournament.
Rogers State was able to claim victories over Judson College, Culver-Stockton, Grand View and host Evangel University by a combined score of 29-13. The lone defeat came at the hands of Williams Baptist College as RSU fell 4-2 on Saturday to the WBC.
GAME ONE VS. JUDSON COLLEGE
RSU claimed the 7-4 victory over Judson College in the first game of the tournament on Friday.
The Hillcats were able to jump on Judson College early as Ashlie Fauchier tripled and eventually scored on a stolen base in the first inning. The Cats added three runs in the top of the second as Linsey Curtis started the inning with a solo shot to right field. Niki Keck doubled to score Taran Threet from second putting RSU up 3-0. RSU wasn't done in the second as Keck scored on a ground out by Laura Fleck to first base giving the Cats the 4-0 advantage.
RSU added another two runs in the third inning on a two-run homerun to right field by Katrina Loy putting the Cats up 6-0.
Fleck registered the win pitching two innings giving up one hit. Curtis pitched three innings in relief allowing three hits and fanning two batters.
Sam Gladen received the loss for Judson as she pitched two innings allowing four runs, all earned, on four hits and struck out two. Sarah Boyer pitched three relief innings fanning five batters allowing two earned runs on three hits.
Linsey Curtis went 2-for-2 from the plate with one RBI as the Cats claimed the five inning victory.
GAME TWO VS. CULVER-STOCKTON
In the second game of the tournament the Cats claimed the 11-3 victory over Culver-Stockton.
RSU tallied three runs in the bottom of the first inning started by a two RBI single to shallow left scoring Kaitlin McCool and Fauchier.
CSU posted a run in the second and a pair of runs in the top of the third to put the game tied 3-3 heading into the bottom of the third. That's when RSU added two truns the first on a Kirsten Leppla double to deep right scoring Threet. The very next at bat Tory Fitch's sacrifice fly to center scored Gabrielle Cox giving the Cats a 5-3 lead.
The Hillcats posted three runs each in the bottom of the fourth and the bottom of the fifth to give RSU the 11-3 victory in five innings.
A'lex Koonce earned the win going four complete innings allowing three earned runs on five hits and fanning four batters. Laura Fleck pitched one inning in relief and didn't allow a hit versus three batters.
Kristy Obert went 3.2 innings allowing eight earned runs on 13 hits to receive the loss for Culver-Stockton. Brittney Miller pitched two-thirds of an inning allowing three runs, one earned, on three hits and struck out one.
Taran Threet went 3-for-3 with two RBI for the Cats and had two runs versus Culver-Stockton.
GAME THREE VS. GRAND VIEW
In the third game of the opening day the Hillcats registered the 6-3 victory over Grand View behind a complete game performance from freshman pitcher Laura Fleck and an offensive output by RSU in the bottom of the sixth.
The Cats entered the sixth inning trailing 3-2 after allowing three runs in the top of the fifth inning.
In the bottom of the sixth inning the Hillcats started with a walk of Katrina Loy, who had homered in the fourth inning, and a double to deep right-center by Curtis. Threet scored Loy on a single up through the hole at second base and advanced Megan Williams, pinch running for Curtis, to third. Williams was forced out at home as Fleck reached on a fielder's choice two batters later. Threet reached home on a hard hit ball by McCool as Keck and Fleck scored on a bobble by the Grand View short stop to put the Cats up 6-3.
Fleck retired the three GVU batters in the top of the seventh to give the Cats the 6-3 victory. Fleck recorded the victory going the complete game allowing three earned runs on seven hits while striking out two.
Michele Schoop received the loss in relief for Grand View as she allowed four runs, one earned, in just one inning pitched. Jessica Stickel was the starter and pitched five innings giving up two earned runs on five hits and fanned three Hillcat batters.
GAME FOUR VS. WILLIAMS BAPTIST
In the first game of the second day RSU fell to Williams Baptist after allowing four runs on 14 hits as the Cats bats tallied just seven hits and two runs for the 4-2 loss.
RSU jumped ahead 1-0 in the top of the third but WBC posted one run each in the third and fourth inning.
WBC tallied two runs in the bottom of the sixth to stretch the lead to 4-1 before RSU answered with just one run in the top of the seventh inning for the final of 4-2.
Laura Fleck received the loss as the Muskogee, Okla. native pitched six innings allowing four runs, three earned, on 14 hits as she fanned two batters.
Kirsten Leppla went 2-for-3 in the contest and scored one of the Hillcats two runs.
GAME FIVE VS. EVANGEL UNIVERSITY
Rogers State closed out the Evangel Softball Tournament by playing the host Evangel University and the Cats captured the 5-3 victory.
Evangel earned the early lead with a pair of runs in the third inning but the Hillcats responded with three runs in the top of the fifth.
A Fauchier double shallow down the right field line scored Keck and advanced Leppla to third. The next at-bat Shonna Guerrero's two RBI single scored Leppla and Fauchier and put the Cats up 3-2.
EU answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game 3-3. That's when the Hillcat bats went into effect with a solo homerun by Linsey Curtis to start the sixth. A missed catch by the EU first baseman scored Leppla on the McCool batted ball and put the Cats in the lead 5-3.
Fleck registered the complete game victory giving up seven hits and three earned runs while striking out six batters. Katelyn Tolle received the loss for EU pitching two and one-third innings giving up three runs, two earned, on three hits and fanning three.
Rogers State (23-4) travels to the state of Tennessee to face Tennessee Wesleyan and Bryan College over Spring Break.
