CLAREMORE, Okla. - The Rogers State softball team opened the home portion of the Sooner Athletic Conference slate with a doubleheader split against No.21 Oklahoma Christian on Thursday night at Hillcat Complex.
RSU took an early lead in the opener however, the Lady Eagles rallied to score runs in each of the final four innings and earned a 6-3 win over the Cats. In the nightcap, the Hillcats tallied the lone run of the game in fourth inning and clung to the lead the rest of the way to register the 1-0 victory.
GAME ONE
The Hillcats posted runs in each of the first two innings but the lead was short-lived as RSU left nine runners stranded and OC out-hit the Cats 13-8.
Laura Fleck faced the minimum in the first and second frames for the Hillcats. Junior Kaitlin McCool led off the first inning for RSU with a single and scored an RBI single down the left field line by junior Shona Guerrero. In the second inning, McCool hit a two-out single and stole second. Ashlie Fauchier followed with a single to center field, sending McCool home and giving the Cats a 2-0 advantage.
RSU earned two quick outs in top of the third but the Eagles got some help from back-to-back RSU errors that put runners on second and third. Kala Ratliff followed with a single to center, allowing both runs to reach home and knot the score.
OC took control of the game fifth. The Lady Eagles opened the frame with three consecutive one-out singles. Davee Croy belted the ball down the third base line but Guerrero made a diving play and threw out the runner at home to give the Cats two outs. However the following batter, Kayla Jennings, drilled the ball down the left field line to bring in two runs and give OC its first lead of the contest.
Michelle Miller doubled off the wall in center field to spark the OC offense in the top of the six and Megan Webb drove her in with a single to left field.
Jennings rounded out the scoring for the Lady Eagles with a RBI single to left in the top of the seventh.
RSU's rally fell short in the bottom of the seventh. Fauchier and Guerrero hit consecutive singles to start the inning. Fauchier scored on a sacrifice fly by Linsey Curtis but that was as close as the Hillcats would get, falling 6-3.
McCool, Fauchier and Guerrero tallied two hits apiece, accounting for six of the Hillcats eight hits in the contest.
Fleck (19-5) registered the loss in the circle for the Cats as she tossed the complete game and allowed six runs, four earned, on 13 hits with three strikeouts.
Ashley Paxton (9-6) earned the win as she allowed three runs on eight hits with six strikeouts.
GAME TWO
The nightcap was a pitcher's duel as the teams registered nine hits combined. OC left seven runners stranded in the contest as the Cats left just four.
Neither team could ignite their offence through the first three innings. Fauchier opened the fourth frame with a single through the right side of the infield. She advanced to second on a groundout by Guerrero and scored on a single through the middle by Threet.
OC didn't threaten the RSU lead until the top of the seventh. The Lady Eagles put runners on first and third with one out in the contest. However, Fleck was able to get Krystal Rodriguez to pop out to Megan Williams at second base and Monique Elliot ended the game with a groundout to Threet at first base, giving RSU the 1-0 win.
Threet was the lone Hillcat with multiple hits as she went 2-for-3 with the only RBI of the game.
Fleck (20-5) earned the complete-game shutout victory in the nightcap as she allowed five hits and three walks in the contest.
Kimberly Cusher (1-2) was tagged with the loss as she pitched five innings and allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts.
Rogers State (28-7, 1-3) returns to action on Saturday as the Hillcats travel to Southern Nazarene (Okla.) for a twin bill. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
