CLAREMORE, Okla. – Rogers State returned to its winning ways on the softball diamond Friday afternoon with a doubleheader sweep of Oklahoma Wesleyan in the Hillcats home opener at the Diamond Sports Complex.
 
RSU came from behind in both games on the way to a 5-3 victory in game one before run ruling the Eagles in six innings in game two, 10-2.
 
Game One
 
The Hillcats won game one in come from behind fashion stringing together a single run in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings for a 5-3 victory over the Eagles.
 
RSU fell behind early as OKWU took a two-run lead in the first inning as Britney Howard singled scoring Michaela Shouldis to take a 1-0 lead. The Eagles added just a batter later on an RBI-ground out by Ally Raines brought Brianna Miller home from third to take a 2-0 lead.
 
Taylor Santistevan answered in the bottom of the second with a two-run home run to left field and knotted the game at 2-2. It was the first home run of the season for Santistevan and the first of her career in the navy and red.
 
The Eagles would retake the lead in the top of the third inning as Shouldis started the inning with a single and advance to second on a groundout by Miller. A RBI single by Howard to left field scored Shouldis and put the Eagles up 3-2.
 
RSU would tie the game, 3-3, in the fourth on a Morgan Blanchard single to left scoring Ashley Williams from third. Kayla Patterson would score in the home half of the fifth on an Ali Turner single up the middle to put the Hillcats in the lead 4-3.
 
The Hillcats added an insurance run in the sixth with the bases loaded on a sacrifice fly by Mikayla Waggnor to score Morgan Blanchard for a 5-3 victory.
 
Megan Rosewell earned her eighth victory of the season allowing three earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts in seven innings of work. OKWU's Ashleigh Capps (1-6) received the loss allowing five earned runs on nine hits with five walks and two strikeouts.
 
Game Two
 
OKWU built an early advantage but the Hillcats rallied once again in game two for a 10-2 run rule of the Eagles.
 
The Eagles tallied two runs in the top of the first inning on a Howard two-run home run and took a 2-0 lead for the second time Friday.
 
It took until the home half of the second for the Hillcats to answer starting with a leadoff triple by Kayla Patterson. An Arika Araujo single to left scored Patterson to cut the deficit to a run. An infield single by Waggnor moved Araujo to second and a Turner double to left would plate a run.
 
RSU wasn't finished after tying the game at 2-2 as Santistevan continued her impressive day at the plate with a single through the right side scoring Waggnor and Turner to give the Hillcats a 4-2 advantage.
 
The Hillcats tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning with a two-run homer by Morgen Blanchard to centerfield for her second long shot of the season.
 
A De'Leigh Emarthle single to left center scored Katelyn Gamble in the bottom of the sixth. Araujo reached on a fielder's choice as Ashley Williams scored and Patterson scored on a wild pitch. Carson DuBose scored on a single down the right field line by Turner to run rule the Eagles in six innings.
 
Rosewell (9-2) notched her ninth win of the season allowing just two earned runs on four hits with two walks and a strikeout for the Hillcats in game two.
 
Makayla Kelly (1-3) received the loss giving up four earned runs on seven hits with one strikeout and no walks. Mykelti Shelton pitched 2.2 innings giving up six earned runs with four walks and four strikeouts as Oklahoma Wesleyan moved to 2-11 on the season.
 
Morgan Blanchard went 4-for-6 on the afternoon with a home run and three runs batted in, while scoring two runs and drawing two walks. Taylor Santistevan went 2-for-3 with a home run, four RBI and three walks for the Hillcats. Ali Turner batted 4-of-7 with three RBI, a double and two runs while drawing one walk in the doubleheader.
 
Rogers State (10-3) returns to action Monday, February 27 hosting the Lincoln University Blue Tigers for a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. Play-by-play coverage will be available on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.