TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Rogers State softball team made two valiant, late-inning rallies but dropped both games on the first day of the NSU Softball Festival, an 8-6 loss to Northeastern State before falling 3-2 to Bacone Thursday at RiverHawks Park.
The Hillcats scored seven of their eight runs in the fifth inning or later but left 15 runners on base in the two games.
GAME ONENortheastern State got out to a quick start with the first seven runs before RSU rallied back to cut the lead to one eventually falling 8-6 in the opening game of the tournament.
The Hillcats had a chance to open the scoring as their first two batters in the second inning singled but failed to capitalize on the opportunity and the RiverHawks took advantage tallying six runs in the bottom of the second. NSU got a two-run single from Alyssa Aguilar and tacked on four more in the frame on six hits.
A solo home run by NSU's Megan Ewton in the fourth extended the deficit to 7-0 but RSU got some life denting the scoreboard in the top of the fifth as
Maggie McBrayer led with a double to right center.
Cailin Simpson sent a single back up the middle scoring McBrayer.
The rally continued in the sixth as the Hillcats got started with a single from
Stephanie Schivally followed by a double off the bat of
Whitney Hamilton putting runners in scoring position. McBrayer drove home one with a single and
Chelsie Drew added an RBI fielder's choice.
Cailin Simpson celebrates her
sixth-inning home runWith two outs in the inning and two runners on base, Simpson stepped up and the senior delivered a three-run home run just inside the left field foul pole closing the gap to 7-6. The RiverHawks got an insurance run in the sixth and RSU got the tying run to the plate in the seventh but could not get any more runs across falling 8-6. Simpson finished the game with four RBI and Hamilton was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate.
Bailee Kaderka suffered the loss for the Hillcats lasting two innings while Kayce Wooldridge went the distance for the RiverHawks allowing six runs on 11 hits for the win.
GAME TWOThe Hillcats struck first but the Lady Warriors answered with three-consecutive runs and the RSU rally fell short again, dropping the second game, 3-2, stranding eight runners on base.
Simpson started the scoring for the Cats in the first inning after Hamilton's fly ball was dropped by the Bacone center fielder.
RSU starter
Rachel Jones ran into trouble in the bottom of the second as the Lady Warriors struck for the tying run on a wild pitch with the bases loaded. The Hillcats got out of the inning with
Jessica Christian in the circle on a sprawling double play by
Malori Moss as she doubled-off the runner at first from her knees in right field after a shoestring catch.
Bacone took the lead in the fourth and stretched its lead to 3-1 in the fifth on a squeeze bunt scoring a lead-off single.
The Cats left the tying run on base in the sixth and got back-to-back singles from McBrayer and
Bailey Spencer to start the seventh.
Makenzie Kirk pinch hit and advanced the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Simpson promptly singled one run in cutting the score to 3-2, but RSU grounded out twice stopping the rally short.
Christian was tagged with the loss allowing one run on one hit in three innings. Sylver Collins got the victory throwing a complete game for the Lady Warriors surrendering two runs, one earned, on four hits.
RSU (0-4 overall) returns to the field closing the NSU Softball Festival Tuesday Feb. 24 starting with the RiverHawks at 10 a.m. before facing Ottawa University at noon.
