CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State softball team got four RBI from
Morgen Blanchard and a pair of wins in the circle by
Jessica Christian taking both games of a doubleheader from Oklahoma Panhandle State, 6-3 and 4-1, Friday at the Diamond Sports Complex.
Blanchard had a two-run home run in the opener and added a two-run double in game two helping the Hillcats win their third-consecutive Heartland Conference series. Christian pitched 11 total innings winning both ends of the twin bill allowing just two runs.
GAME ONE
RSU used a four-run fifth inning to aid Blanchard's home run in the third staking a 6-0 lead on its way to the 6-3 victory. The Hillcats allowed Aggie base runners in six of the seven innings played, but stranded 12 visitors on the bases maintaining the bend and not break mentality.
After Christian left two OPSU players on base for the third-straight inning, the RSU offense got through and tallied a one-out single from
Ashleigh Stidman.
Katelyn Gamble laid down a sacrifice bunt and Blanchard followed by delivering a towering home run through the wind into left center for a 2-0 advantage. The round tripper tied
Katlin Alexander for the team lead on her fourth blast of the year.
The margin stretched to 6-0 in the fifth inning as Stidman started the frame on a five-pitch walk. Gamble and Blanchard added bunt singles to load the bases and Alexander drew a bases loaded walk to bring one run home.
Arika Araujo ripped a two-run single into the gap in left center and
Jamie Kowalick capped the scoring dropping a squeeze bunt that plated pinch runner
Ashley Williams from third.
The Hillcats almost closed out the shutout of OPSU, but allowed a three-run home run to Madison Heathington in the top of the seventh before getting the final three outs for the 6-3 win.
GAME TWO
Four-consecutive hits led to three runs in the third inning for RSU on its way to the doubleheader sweep winning 4-1 in the finale.
OPSU had chances in the game to earn the split, but again could not find the clutch hits as the Hillcats' defense held strong leaving runners on base in five innings. The Aggies did strike first posting the go-ahead run in the third on a two-out, RBI single from Brooklyne Bolton.
RSU answered right back making the deficit short lived as Stidman came through hitting a one-out triple down the right-field line and Gamble dropped a bunt single putting runners on the corners. Blanchard launched her Heartland Conference-leading 17th double of the season to the fence bringing both runners home as the Cats took a 2-1 lead. Alexander belted a RBI single to the wall in right scoring Blanchard extending the margin to 3-1 after three innings.
Araujo pulled a two-out double down the line in left scoring Blanchard in the fifth for an unearned run moving the margin to 4-1 where Christian made the lead stand. OPSU threatened in the sixth bringing the tying run to the plate with two outs, but the senior forced a grounder right back into her glove and RSU held on for the twin-bill sweep.
Blanchard finished the day with four RBI, four runs scored, on three hits, while Alexander drew five walks and added two RBI for the offense. Christian surrendered two earned runs in 11 innings of work limiting the damage of 11 hits on timely outs.
The Hillcats (16-21 overall, 6-11 HC) close the conference series with the Aggies Saturday afternoon with first pitch slated for noon. Catch the action live on the Hillcat Network or on the airwaves of RSU Radio 91.3FM.
