CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State softball team allowed five runs with two outs in innings suffering a 7-2 loss to perennial power St. Edward's Friday evening at the Diamond Sports Complex.
 
The Hillcats were limited to just two hits, both coming in the sixth inning, but drew five walks in the Heartland Conference matchup against arguably the league's top pitcher, Lauren Slatten.
 
Arika Araujo drove home a pair of runs for RSU in the bottom of the sixth ripping a double down the line in left plating Ashleigh Stidman and Katelyn Gamble. Stidman started the inning with an infield single, while Gamble and Morgen Blanchard drew walks to load the bases. Araujo came through with the extra-base hit cutting into the SEU lead before the rally was cut short.
 
The Hilltoppers scored their first five runs with two outs in the second and third innings as Morgan Dufour hit a three-run home run in the second and Megan Hoffman added a two-run single in the third for a 5-0 margin.
 
The RSU deficit stretched to 7-0 in the top of the sixth until the Hillcats cracked through on Slatted in the bottom of the frame making it a 7-2 contest.
 
Mayra Helguera suffered the loss in the circle tossing three innings and Slatten picked up her 17th win of the year for SEU.
 
RSU (17-31 overall, 6-16 HC) closes the weekend series with the Hilltoppers as a Saturday twin bill starts at 11 a.m. Saturday morning. Senior Day festivities for the Hillcats are scheduled prior to the start of the doubleheader.