BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – The Rogers State baseball team scored first in both games of a doubleheader but could not make the lead stand falling 7-1 and 7-5 on the road at Oklahoma Wesleyan Wednesday afternoon at Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium.
GAME ONERSU got an early run but Oklahoma Wesleyan tallied seven unanswered, six coming unearned, getting a 7-1 win in the opening game of the twin bill.
The Hillcats got the day's scoring starting in the second inning as former Eagle
Trae BoBo drew a lead-off walk.
Blake Gipson followed with a sharp single and BoBo moved 90 feet closer stealing third.
Zack Ashford brought the sophomore home on a sacrifice fly for the 1-0 lead.
The advantage was short lived as RSU starter
Mason Marquette ran into trouble in the bottom of the second loading the bases with free passes. OKWU evened the score behind Avery Flores' perfect two-out bunt single.
The Eagles capitalized on a dropped foul to add two runs in the third getting back-to-back doubles to open the frame moving ahead 3-1.
The Hillcats threatened in the fifth loading the bases with one out.
Alex Cochran and
Chase Knott started the inning with singles before
Cesar Rodriguez drew a one-out walk.
Andrew Vanisi stepped to the plate looking to do damage but grounded into an inning-ending double play.
OKWU used the defensive momentum to break the game open in the bottom half of the fifth scoring four runs, all unearned, capped by a two-run double from Flores.
Marquette (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season throwing four innings giving up six hits while Sam Haynes allowed one run in five innings for the win on the mound.
GAME TWOThe Hillcats generated only three hits in the final game, but all three cleared the fence for solo home runs in a 7-5 loss to the Eagles.
RSU dented the scoreboard twice in the first inning without recording a hit taking advantage of a lead-off walk to Cochran.
Caleb Kohlmeyer reached on an outfield error and Rodriguez stepped into the box with two runners in scoring position. His fielder's choice scored Cochran and Vanisi added to the lead scoring one on a double play.
The Eagles did not waste any time evening the score on a single from Jason Wilcoxson and a sacrifice fly from Will Price. OKWU added two runs in the second and stretched the lead to 5-2 with a run in the third on another sac fly chasing Hillcat starter
Michael Fusselman.
The Hillcats finally got their bats going in the fourth chipping away at the three-run deficit. Vanisi started the inning with a deep blast just inside the left field foul pole for his first home run of the season. BoBo made it back-to-back solo home runs for RSU after working a full count on OKWU starter Aaron Garner closing the gap to one, 5-4.
All it took was one swing of the bat from Vanisi in the top of the fifth to tie the game, 5-5, as the senior connected on his second home run of the game launching a one-two curveball over the fence in left center off OKWU reliever Daniel Wren.
After the Eagles threatened in the fifth with two hits, they broke the tie on a two-out, two-RBI double by Zair Koeiman in the sixth regaining a 7-5 advantage and closer Elpidio Martin retired the side in order for the save.
Zach Tyson (0-1) took the loss for the Cats surrendering two runs on five hits in 1.2 innings of work. Wren got the win for OKWU allowing one run in two innings.
RSU (7-5 overall) returns to the diamond with a single game Monday March 2 in Arkadelphia, Arkansas at Henderson State. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
