CLAREMORE, Okla. – Samuel Davison posted four hits as the Rogers State baseball team closed a weekend sweep of UA Fort Smith winning the series finale 8-2 Saturday afternoon at the Diamond Sports Complex.
 
The junior was 4-for-5 at the plate, sending all four hits into the opposite field, tallying three RBI on the day to cap an impressive performance for the weekend. Davison helped the Hillcats take all three games from the Lions, who started the weekend on top of the Heartland Conference standings, out-hitting the visitors 17-4.
 
After UAFS struck for an unearned run in the top of the first, RSU quickly answered the challenge and posted two runs in the bottom half of the inning and never looked back. Jordan Garr drew a lead-off walk to get the inning started and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Caleb Kohlmeyer. Ismael Orozco walked with two outs before back-to-back singles by Cesar Rodriguez and Davison plated the two runners for a 2-1 advantage.
 
The margin was pushed to 3-1 in the second as Colton Crocker lifted a single to right opening the frame. The junior scored from first on a perfectly executed hit-and-run as Kohlmeyer drove a double into right center.
 
UAFS put two runners aboard on singles in the third before starting pitcher Tyler Kruse retired nine of the next 10 batters allowing the Hillcats' offense to increase the lead. Kohlmeyer launched his fourth home run of the season over the bleachers in left field leading off the fourth and RSU tacked on three more in the sixth.
 
Garr led the sixth with a double and Chris Miguel put runners on the corners with a single. Orozco brought one home on a sacrifice fly before a Rodriguez single again posted runners at first and third. Davison stepped to the plate and delivered a two-run double into right center stretching the Cats' advantage to 7-1.
 
Both sides added RBI groundouts in the late stages of the contest, but the damage had been done as the Hillcats closed out the series victory, 8-2. All nine starters for RSU tallied at least one hit and seven players scored a run in the balanced attack, led by Garr's two runs scored. Hall added three hits, while Kohlmeyer and Rodriguez each finished the afternoon with two hits as the team totaled 17 in the game.
 
Kruse (3-3) struck out five in 6.2 innings of work allowing just two unearned runs. The junior limited the Lions to four hits before giving way to Justin Magstadt, who threw the final 2.1 innings without giving up a hit and striking out a pair.
 
RSU (19-12 overall, 6-6 HC) puts its three-game win streak on the line starting another Heartland Conference series April 8 in Laredo, Texas facing Texas A&M International. A doubleheader is scheduled for Friday starting at noon.