CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State softball team tallied a non-conference doubleheader split with Pittsburg State Tuesday night at the Diamond Sports Complex.
 
The opener came down to the final frame where the Gorillas were able to capitalize on a three-hit inning to plate one run that proved to be the difference as they earned the 1-0 victory. The Hillcats used a seven-run sixth to tally the 9-6 victory in the nightcap.
 
GAME ONE
Both teams left eight runners stranded in the contest but the Gorillas were able to plate the game-winning run in the top of the seventh, holding the Hillcats scoreless in the bottom of the frame.
  
The Gorillas broke the scoreless tie in the top of the seventh with three consecutive hits to start the inning. McKenzie Rynard led with a single up the middle and Alex Perez followed with a double, but Rynard was tagged out at third for the first out of the frame. A RBI single by Devon McCreath gave the Gorillas the lead.
 
RSU threatened in the bottom of the seventh but left a pair of runners stranded to end the game.
 
Bailee Kaderka (4-7) suffered the loss allowing one run on eight hits with two strikeouts. Emmie Robertson (8-2) earned the shutout win in the circle, allowing five hits while fanning five.
 
GAME TWO
The Gorillas dented the scoreboard in the top of the first with a RBI single from Lawren MicKinney.
 
RSU answered in the bottom of the frame with a pair of runs to take the lead. Jamie Kowalick led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cailin Simpson. Carley Conley reached after being hit by a pitch and Katlin Alexander followed by reaching on an error that plated Kowalick. Whitney Hamilton tallied the go-ahead RBI with a groundout.
 
Pittsburg State regained the lead in the top of the fourth with a lead-off home run by Kylie Guthier. The Gorillas tacked on four more runs in the fifth with the help of consecutive fielding errors from RSU and a Guthier grand slam, making it a 6-2 game.
 
The Hillcats rallied in the bottom of the sixth with seven runs. The comeback bid started with a Mallory Moss single to left field. A fielding error put runners on first and second and Makenzie Kirk loaded the bases with a single. Maggie McBrayer came in to pinch hit and belted an RBI single through the left side of the infield. Kowalick followed with an RBI single, but the Gorillas got a bases-loaded double play to leave runners on the corners with two outs and the Hillcats trailing 6-4.
 
Conley drew a walk to keep the inning alive reloading the bases and Alexander followed with a walk to bring in a run. With the tying run on third, Hamilton ripped a two-RBI double down the left field line to give RSU the lead. A wild pitch brought Alexander home and Moss gave RSU an insurance run with a RBI double to push the lead to 9-6.
 
The seven-run sixth tied for the most runs in an inning this season matching game one of the March 8 doubleheader against Oklahoma Panhandle State.
 
The Gorillas left a pair of runners stranded in the ninth as the Hillcats sealed the split. Rachel Jones (2-1) earned the win, tossing 2.2 scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit while fanning one. Zoe Price was tagged with the loss, tossing 5.2 innings allowing nine runs, one earned with five strikeouts.
 
Moss led the Hillcat offense going 3-4 with one RBI while Alexander went 2-3 with one RBI in the nightcap. Hamilton drove in the game-winning run for the second time in three games, tallying three RBI in the finale.
 
Rogers State (7-12) will return to Heartland Conference action on Friday with a doubleheader against Texas A&M International. First pitch of game one is set for 3 p.m. and will be streamed live on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.