CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State baseball team started its final series of the season strong with a doubleheader sweep of Oklahoma Panhandle State on Friday at the Diamond Sports Complex. RSU won game one, 4-0, behind a two-hit shutout from senior Michael Fusselman and took game two, 6-1.
 
 
GAME ONE
Fusselman capped his RSU career throwing a complete-game shutout of the Aggies setting a career-best seven strikeouts in the process during a 4-0 win in the opener.
 
The Hillcats broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third posting three runs as Colton Crocker led the frame ripping a single into left center. The redshirt junior moved to second on a wild pitch before scoring when Cesar Rodriguez sent a single over the shortstop's head plating Crocker for the go-ahead run, 1-0. The margin stretched to 3-0 as Chris Miguel launched his team-leading eighth home run into the left-field bleachers
 
Fusselman, pitching in front of a large contingent of family and friends, cruised through the opening three innings retiring OPSU in order, including taking a line drive off the chest, but recovered to make the play and remain in the game. The Melissa, Texas native had his no-hit bid broken in the fourth on a lead-off single before getting the next three batters ending the inning.
 
RSU tacked on an insurance run in the fourth as Danny Donoghue reached on a lead-off walk and scored on Crocker's RBI single for a 4-0 edge.
 
The Aggies got two runners on with a single and hit-by-pitch in the top of the seventh, but it was Fusselman that remained in the game and closed out his second-career shutout as the Cats took game one, 4-0.
 
GAME TWO
 
RSU used an explosive fifth inning, scoring five runs to get the 6-1 victory in the nightcap.
 
With the score tied at 1-1, the Hillcats put up five runs to build the 6-1 advantage. The scoring started with two runs as Jason Marley brought in one run on a fielder's choice, and an error on the play allowed one more run to score. Caleb Kohlmeyer and Rodriguez both came home on the play. Jordan Garr, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI, plated two runs with a double to left field to bring in Marley and Miguel. The Hillcats were not done as Donoghue put down a squeeze bunt to score Zack Ashford from third for the 6-1 margin.
 
OPSU took an early lead with a single down the line in the first inning to go up 1-0. RSU responded when Garr knotted the score at 1-1 in the fourth inning with a double to the gap in right center that scored Samuel Davison.
 
Senior Cole Chandler got his first Heartland Conference start going 4.2 innings and allowing only one run on four hits. Blake Roley went one inning and picked up the win. Justin Magstadt and Rusty Huber combined to pitch the final 3.1 innings and allowed only two hits. The pitching staff totaled eight strikeouts and only six hits in the nine innings.
 
The Hillcats (27-22, 12-14 Heartland) and Aggies close the 2016 season Saturday afternoon with a matinee at 1 p.m. at the Diamond Sports Complex. It will be Senior Day at the ballpark with the festivities beginning at approximately 12:45 p.m.