WICHITA, Kan. – The Rogers State softball team picked up a doubleheader split at Newman Friday in Heartland Conference action taking the opener 5-2 before falling 13-5 in five innings in game two.

Yolanda Rios struck out 12 in a complete-game victory in game one with Candace Monigold and Carley Conley providing the offense recording three hits. RSU again tallied five runs but allowed 13 runs in a shortened night cap.

Game One

The Hillcats took advantage of an error on the first batter of the game as Jamie Kowalick reached before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cailin Simpson. A single by Monigold put runners on the corners and Kowalick plated the first run as RSU executed a double steal for the 1-0 advantage.

The Jets evened the score, 1-1, in the fourth getting to Hillcat starter Yolanda Rios with a lead-off home run by starting pitcher Kelsey Jones. Rios kept Newman from further damage stranding two runners ending the threat with one of her 12 strikeouts in the game.

RSU regained its lead behind a three-run fifth inning as Conley provided more two-out production driving home Taran Threet and Monigold on a double to left. After Conley stole third, an RBI double by Jackie Flores gave the Hillcats a 4-1 lead.

Newman got one run back in the sixth with a two-out, RBI single from Kelsey Fisher but the Hillcats answered the tally with a Flores sacrifice fly scoring Monigold in the seventh.

Rios closed out the Jets earning a complete-game victory scattering nine hits over seven innings. One strikeout shy of her career high, Rios' 12-strikeout outing was the fifth time this season registering double-digit punch outs improving to 9-16 from the circle.

Monigold and Conley each had 3-for-4 performances at the plate while Makenzie Kirk added two hits as RSU recorded 10 hits off Jones.

Game Two

Newman wasted no time jumping in front in the night cap earning the split by posting a three-run first inning followed by four runs in the second chasing starter Brooklyne Harbert.

The Hillcats clawed their way back into the game tallying three runs in the top of the third cutting the deficit to 7-3. Kowalick led the frame with a double and Monigold drew a one-out walk before Threet tripled to center plating a pair. Flores later added an RBI single.

After the Jets registered another four-run inning in the third, RSU got two runs back in the fourth started by relief pitcher Mikayla McGoldrick's lead-off single. The freshman came around to score on a fielder's choice by Simpson and RSU scored its fifth run when pinch runner Katie Ellington crossed home plate on Monigold's fielder's choice.

The Jets closed the run-rule decision, 13-5, getting a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth scoring the final run on a Hillcat error. Jensen Cromer pitched all five innings getting the win allowing six hits and five runs.

Rogers State (12-26, 5-12 HC) closes the weekend series at Newman Saturday with first-pitch of the rubber game scheduled for 1 p.m.