CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State softball team stayed right with No. 7 St. Mary's but could not break through, dropping both games of a doubleheader 8-1 and 2-0 Friday afternoon in Heartland Conference action at the Diamond Sports Complex.
The Hillcats held a slim lead for most of game one and had a chance to win game two but stranded two runners in their seventh-inning rally.
Jamie Kowalick and Kelby Fritz both tallied two hits on the day leading RSU with Kowalick hitting the only extra-base hit with a double starting game one.
Game One
After Kowalick led off the game with a double, she advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Cailin Simpson. RSU scored its only run of the day when Kowalick crossed home plate on a groundout from Candace Monigold for a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Hillcat starter Yolanda Rios kept the Rattlers off the scoreboard through the first four innings despite allowing at least one base runner in each frame. StMU evened the game 1-1 in the fifth behind a home run from Katie Nichols and took the lead when Taylor Vidrine scored on a double steal attempt.
The Rattlers added another solo home run by starting pitcher Vianna Gutierrez in the sixth and broke the game open in the top of the seventh with five runs as Rios and the Hillcats could not get out of the inning. Alex Rodriguez lofted a two-out grand slam just over the fence in right center after two walks and a hit batter loaded the bases to take game one 8-1.
Gutierrez, the reigning Heartland Conference Pitcher of the Week, held RSU to two hits getting the complete-game victory. Rios finished with a season-high 10 strikeouts in the loss.
Game Two
The final game of the doubleheader featured a pitcher's duel between RSU's Brooklyne Harbert and StMU's Emily Brittain.
St. Mary's broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth getting the only runs of the game on a two-run home run by Miranda Medina after Gutierrez led the inning with a single.
The Hillcats started to rally in the bottom of the seventh getting a one-out single from Fritz, the second of her two hits in the game. The senior moved to second on a throwing error and reached third base when pinch-hitter Rios singled to right.
Brittain got the final two batters to pop out and ground out ending the threat and earn the complete-game shutout claiming a 2-0 victory as the Rattlers won for the 26th time in their last 27 games.
Rogers State (4-17, 1-7 HC) closes the three-game set Saturday at 11 a.m. in a start time moved up to avoid potential weather in the area. The game will be streamed live on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.
