WICHITA, Kan. – The Rogers State baseball team saw its bats go silent in the rubber game at Newman University Saturday afternoon falling 5-1 at McCarthy Field in Heartland Conference action.

The Hillcats did strike for the opening run in the first inning as Alex Cochran started the game with a single. The junior moved to third when starter Zak Mickens threw away a pick-off attempt and scored on a groundout by Chase Knott putting RSU in front 1-0.

That would be the only Hillcat baserunner until Cochran reached again on a hit-by-pitch in the sixth inning as Mickens retired the next 17 batters in order and the Jets scored the game's next five runs.

Newman's Garrett Thomas belted a two-run home run in the bottom of the second and added a third run in the inning on an RBI single from Tyler Bugner. The Jets loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth on RSU starter Jesse Baird but the right-hander limited the damage to one run as the Hillcats fell behind 4-1.

A triple to start the fifth led to the final Newman run as Kyle Johnston scored on a sacrifice fly by Jordan Ollenberger for a 5-1 advantage.

Mickens closed the game getting the final 10 batters out securing the conference series victory with a complete-game, one-hit win finishing with seven strikeouts.

Baird took the loss for the Hillcats allowing five runs on six hits in five innings while T.J. Law and Collin Thomas combined to throw three perfect innings in relief.