LUBBOCK, Texas – The Rogers State softball team opened its inaugural season in the Heartland Conference against a familiar foe in Lubbock Christian and were downed twice 7-3 and 11-7 Friday at Plains Capital Park.

Cailin Simpson finished the day 4-for-8 from the plate with a team-high four runs while Candace Monigold went 3-for-5 with three RBI.

GAME ONE

The Lady Chaps took control early scoring four runs in the bottom of the first behind five hits off starter Yolanda Rios and never relented. LCU added one in the third and two more runs in the fifth for a commanding 7-0 advantage.

Down to their final out in the seventh, the Hillcats scratched three runs across behind a two-run single by Simpson that scored Makenzie Kirk and Jamie Kowalick and added a run-scoring single off the bat of Carley Conley.

LCU closed out the 7-3 victory posting 11 hits while RSU had its chances throughout the game to close the gap but stranded eight base runners leaving at least one on base in six of the seven innings played.

GAME TWO

The Hillcats let a chance to even the day go by the wayside watching a 7-3 lead slip by as the Lady Chaps claimed the conference-opening series winning 11-7 with both teams recording 12 hits in the contest.

RSU continued the offensive momentum from the opening game as Kowalick singled to start the first and Monigold later singled to center field. Both runners were cut down on groundouts but Simpson got the Hillcats on the board scoring on Conley's fielder's choice.

In the third inning, Jackie Flores drove a two-run double down the left-field line scoring Kowalick and Simpson, who reached on singles opening the frame, extending the lead to 3-0.

The lead did not last long as LCU tied things 3-3 in the bottom half of the inning getting home runs from Morgan Colburn and Katera Eltsosie.

The Hillcats answered right back with four runs in the fourth for a 7-3 lead taking advantage of two Lady Chap errors. Monigold provided the fireworks with a three-run blast to right field, her team-leading second home run of the season.

RSU could not hold off the LCU rally allowing seven runs in the fourth on five hits getting 10 batters to the plate against two different Hillcat pitchers. The Lady Chaps added another run in the sixth securing the victory 11-7.

The top three batters in the Hillcat lineup, Kowalick, Simpson, and Monigold, combined to go 8-for-11 with six runs scored in the game two loss.