CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State softball team swept Mid-America Christian in its home opener Tuesday afternoon at the Diamond Sports Complex winning 6-3 and 4-3.
 
Interim Head Coach Andrea Vaughan earned her first collegiate victory in the opener and the team followed with a 12-hit win in the nightcap via Jamie Kowalick's walk-off squeeze bunt.
 
GAME ONE
The Hillcats picked up their first win of the season by scoring in four of six innings on their way to a 6-3 victory over the Evangels.
 
Katelyn Gamble slapped a one-out double down the line in left and Rachel Jones stepped to the plate and delivered a line-drive home run through the blustery winds into right center. It was the first home run of the season for RSU as the senior staked the home team a 2-0 advantage in the opening frame.
 
In the third, the Hillcats added to their lead playing small ball and utilizing their speed. Morgen Blanchard ripped a double to the fence in center plating Ashleigh Stidman, who started the inning with a single before stealing second and advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt.
 
The Evangels loaded the bases in the top of the fourth, but RSU starting pitcher Jessica Christian and the defense held without breaking keeping MACU off the scoreboard to maintain the three-run lead.
 
RSU pushed its lead to 4-0 in the fourth as Kowalick and Malori Moss executed the double steal. The Evangels got on the scoreboard with a three-run fifth to make it a one-run game recording three singles in the inning, but stranded a pair as the Hillcats held the lead. RSU tacked on two insurance runs in the bottom half of the fifth on an RBI double from Blanchard and an RBI single by Katlin Alexander for the 6-3 decision.
 
Christian got the win in the circle throwing 6.1 innings of scoreless softball surrendering just five hits. Of the 10 total hits for the Cats, Blanchard and Alexander led the offense with two hits each.
 
GAME TWO
RSU struck again for a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning and overcame a late deficit with a walk-off win to secure the series sweep winning game two, 4-3.
 
Four-consecutive singles with two outs in the first frame pushed two runs across as the Hillcats jumped ahead early. Alexander provided an RBI single scoring Blanchard and Jones later scored on a wild pitch.
 
MACU answered with one run in the third capitalizing on a lead-off walk from RSU starter Mayra Helguera. The Evangels struck for two more runs in the fourth to take their first lead of the day as Cassidy Hart hit a two-out, two-run single.
 
RSU would not be held down for long as Gamble singled to start the bottom of the fifth. Jones followed two batters later driving a double into left bringing the tying run home from second. The Hillcats pounced early in the seventh as Blanchard doubled to deep right center and moved to third on a fly out. Kowalick dropped a perfect bunt with the runner going giving RSU the sweep, 4-3, in walk-off fashion.
 
Blanchard and Jones each were a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, while Kowalick tallied two hits in the nightcap win. Christian picked up her second win of the day, this time in relief, tossing the final 2.1 innings allowing no hits and just one base runner.
 
The Hillcats (2-5 overall) are back on the field Feb. 17 hosting Missouri Southern State at the Diamond Sports Complex. The doubleheader is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. and can be caught live on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.