ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The Rogers State softball team split its two games on day two of the Ronnie Hawkins Tournament to conclude the two-day event, going 3-1 in four games. The Hillcats scored three late runs to defeat Southwest Baptist, 3-0, in the first game of today, but fell, 12-7, to Southern Arkansas in game two.
RSU 3, SBU 0
The Hillcats scored three late runs against the Bearcats to win the first game of the day, 3-0.
RSU posted one run in the sixth and two more in the seventh to earn the win. After a single and back-to-back walks loaded up the bases,
Sierra Skaggs worked a walk to bring in
Katelyn Gamble for a 1-0 RSU lead in the sixth.
Allie McFetridge drove in
Tailee Reding with a single to the gap in left to open the scoring in the seventh inning. RSU added one more run on a
Mikayla Waggnor single to left that plated
Megan Scott for the 3-0 advantage.
In her first start in the navy and red,
Alex Brake pitched the complete seven innings and allowed only three hits. She posted three strikeouts with only two walks in the seven innings.
McFetridge finished 3-for-4 at the plate with one RBI.
SBU's Claire Miller pitched seven innings and allowed the three runs, but registered 12 strikeouts.
SAU 12, RSU7
The Cats jumped on SAU early, building a 7-1 lead, but the Lady Muleriders pulled even with RSU with six runs in the third and tallied five late runs for the 12-7 win.
After SAU plated one run in the top of the seventh, RSU's offense got hot in its half of the inning with seven runs for a 7-1 advantage. With the bases loaded,
Rylee DeLozier hit an infield single to score
Taylor Santistevan to tie the score at 1-1. A bases loaded walk by
AJ Waggnor gave RSU the lead at 2-1. Reding brought in two runs with a single to left field, and
Danelle Day doubled down the line to make it 5-1. McFetridge drove in two more RSU runs with a single to center for the 7-1 edge.
The Lady Muleriders, which went 46-18 in 2017 and advanced to the NCAA Central Regional Tournament, responded with six runs in the third inning to pull even at 7-7. After a wild pitch and sac fly tallied two runs, a two-run homer by Monica Islava pulled SAU to within two at 7-5. A double to the gap in left knotted the score at 7-7.
Islava put the Lady Muleriders in front in the fifth with another homer – this time a solo shot to right. SAU added two more runs in the fifth on a two-RBI double to center for a 10-7 advtange.
In the sixth inning, SAU registered two more runs for the 12-7 score.
DeLozier finished 2-for-3 with one RBI, and Reding posted a 2-for-4 performance with two RBI. Also with two hits was Day at 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Skaggs started in the circle and went 2.1 innings in her first appearance in the navy and red. She allowed four earned runs on five hits.
Andrea Morales came on in relief and went 2.2 innings and gave up three earned runs on five hits. Reding ended the game in the circle for RSU, going 2.0 innings with three hits and two runs allowed.
The Hillcats are back in action next Saturday and Sunday at the UCO Festival in Edmond, Okla. RSU opens Saturday with Washburn at 12 p.m. and plays Southern Nazarene at 3 p.m.
