ODESSA, Texas – The Rogers State softball team tallied more hits than Texas-Permian Basin but could not get the victory, falling 3-1 Saturday in the Heartland Conference series finale at UTPB Softball Field.
 
The Falcons got the series win despite being outhit by an 8-5 margin. The Hillcats stranded eight runners on base in the contest leaving at least one on in all but the fifth inning.
 
Jamie Kowalick drew a walk to start the game and came around to score on a double by Carley Conley as RSU jumped out of the gates with a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first.
 
UTPB answered to tie the game in the bottom half of the inning as Irene Valdez scored after a lead-off single, one of her game-high three hits on the day. The Falcons broke the deadlock plating a pair of runs on a two-run single from Valdez that capitalized on a Hillcat error for the 3-1 lead in the fifth.
 
RSU got the potential tying run on base in the seventh but hit into a game-ending double play as UTPB secured the 3-1 win to claim the conference series.
 
Bailee Kaderka (6-15) took the complete-game loss for the Hillcats allowing three runs, one earned, on five hits and struck out three. Chelsae Faries (2-14) picked up the UTPB win in the circle going 6.2 innings of eight-hit ball surrendering only one run.
 
Rogers State (12-25, 8-15 HC) returns to action Monday, April 20 playing host to Missouri Southern for a doubleheader at the Diamond Sports Complex. The games can be found on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.