BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – The Rogers State softball team closed its 2016 season dropping both ends of a doubleheader at Oklahoma Wesleyan Thursday afternoon, 2-0 and 5-1, at the OKWU Softball Complex.
 
Jamie Kowalick led the Hillcats offensively tallying three hits in her final appearances against a very talented NAIA squad. The senior went 3-for-6 in the twin bill with two extra base hits and a RBI.
 
GAME ONE
Kowalick tallied two doubles for RSU and pitcher Rachel Jones struck out a career-high eight batters in her final collegiate start, but it was OKWU that held off the Hillcats winning 2-0 in the opening game.
 
Jones was in command early striking out four Lady Eagles' batters in the first two innings allowing just one hit. The senior ran into trouble in the third as a lead-off walk came around to score the game's first run on a single and OKWU made it 2-0 behind a RBI groundout.
 
The home side threatened again in the fourth hitting a single to start the frame but Arika Araujo and Kowalick combined to end the inning catching pinch runner Lindsay McKenna stealing home.
 
RSU carried the defensive momentum into the top of the fifth as Kowalick sent a one-out, standup double into left center for the first Hillcat hit of the contest. OKWU's ace and conference-leading earned run average pitcher, Jenna Daniel, retired the next two batters keeping the Cats off the scoreboard.
 
Ashleigh Stidman slapped a one-out single into center in the sixth and moved into scoring position on a Katelyn Gamble sacrifice bunt, but could not crack through. Jones worked around a lead-off single in the bottom of the sixth getting her eighth strikeout of the afternoon keeping the Hillcats within striking distance through the finish. She ended the game allowing just five hits and two runs in the complete-game loss.
 
GAME TWO
Early errors proved costly for the Hillcats in the second game, a 5-1 loss that put the final touches of the season for RSU. The Lady Eagles struck first in the night cap taking advantage of two errors for an unearned run in the first and added to the lead in the second scoring three times for a 4-0 edge.
 
OKWU starting pitcher Makayla Kelly held the Hillcats' offense in check forcing 12 ground ball outs in the first five innings. Courtney Davis broke up the no-hit bid in the sixth ripping a single into center with one out. The junior advanced to scoring position on a groundout, but could not reach another base as the Lady Eagles held firm defensively.
 
After a solo home run for OKWU in the bottom of the sixth for a 5-0 lead, Gamble started the seventh pushing a single into left and moved up a base on each of two groundouts. Kowalick stepped up and delivered a RBI single into left center getting RSU on the board by bringing Gamble home for her team-leading 36th run of the season.
 
RSU finished its 2016 campaign with a 17-35 record going 6-18 in Heartland Conference action, while Thursday marked the end of the careers for seven seniors. Jamie Kowalick, Ashleigh Stidman, Malori Moss, Taylor Sutterfield, Rachel Jones, Jessica Christian, and Katlin Alexander donned the navy and red for the last time.