CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State baseball team opened its Heartland Conference season with a pair of losses to visiting No. 25 St. Mary's Sunday afternoon at the Diamond Sports Complex falling 7-1 and 7-3.
 
The Hillcats committed six errors in the two games leading to five unearned runs for the Rattlers, a perennial national power in NCAA Division II baseball.
 
GAME ONE
RSU had chances to erase an early deficit in its conference opener but left six runners on base falling 7-1.
 
The Rattlers opened the scoring taking advantage of a Hillcat error in the second as Mario Maldonado reached on a one-out miscue. He stole his way into scoring position and advanced 90 feet closer on a flyout. Maldonado scored on a wild pitch as StMU struck for a 1-0 lead.
 
The Hillcat deficit stretched to four runs as the Rattlers tacked on three in the fourth getting two unearned on RSU starter Mason Marquette. Maldonado hit a two-run double down the line in left and Keith Funk added a run on a sacrifice fly.
 
RSU got one run back in the bottom of the frame as Cesar Rodriguez drew a lead-off walk and moved to third on an Andrew Vanisi single. Rodriguez came around to score on an RBI groundout off the bat of Blake Gipson trailing 4-1.
 
StMU posted a four-run seventh to secure the conference win, 7-1. Starter Matt McClain (3-0) earned the victory throwing 6.2 innings allowing three hits and one run. Marquette (2-2) suffered the complete-game loss allowing four earned runs on eight hits.
 
GAME TWO
The Hillcats made a late push getting within one run in the final game of the twin bill but fell 7-3 to the Rattlers.
 
Brooks Orton opened game two for StMU with a double deep into left field and later crossed home plate for a 1-0 advantage on Matt Smith's sacrifice fly off Hillcat starter Michael Fusselman.
 
RSU quickly erased the one-run margin in the third inning as Johan Ochoa launched the first pitch he saw over the fence in left field off the scoreboard for the first Hillcat run. It was the junior's second home run of the season.
 
The tied score did not last long as the Rattlers put three runs on the board in the fifth as the first three batters all reached base safely.
 
The Hillcats rallied back to make it a one-run game, 4-3, putting up two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Rodriguez walked with two outs before Vanisi laced a double into the left-center gap off the base of the wall. Trae BoBo followed by hitting into the gap for an RBI single scoring Vanisi from second.
 
The Rattlers shut down any chance of the comeback tallying a three-run seventh closing out the Sunday sweep, 7-3. RSU had two runners in scoring position in the eighth with two outs but failed to capitalize on the opportunity.
 
Fusselman (1-2) allowed six runs, five earned, in six innings on the mound and was tagged for the loss while StMU's Kris Gardner (4-1) got the win throwing eight innings of five-hit ball with three runs allowed.
 
RSU (7-7, 0-2 HC) and StMU close the conference-opening series Monday with a single game slated for noon at the Diamond Sports Complex. Catch the game live on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.