WICHITA, Kan. – The Rogers State softball team used a big inning to win game one, 6-3, but the Hillcats couldn't hold off Newman's late rally in game two in a 3-2 loss at the two teams split the doubleheader on Friday (March 23) at the Newman Softball Field. The three-game series concludes on Saturday at 12 p.m.
RSU 6, Newman 3
The Hillcats (25-8, 10-4 Heartland Conference) totaled four runs in the fourth inning to gain the 6-3 win in game one of the doubleheader. Trailing 2-1 going into the inning, the navy and red totaled four runs to go up 5-2 en route to the 6-3 victory.
The big inning started with an infield single by
AJ Waggnor that scored
Rylee DeLozier to tie the score at 2-2. Freshman
Tailee Reding doubled down the line in left to drive in two runs as
Merissa Smith and Waggnor scored for a 4-2 advantage.
Danelle Day plated the final run of the inning with an RBI single to score Reding to make it 5-2.
Newman added a run in the fourth with a double, but the Cats responded with a run in the sixth with Day getting the RBI on the play for the final 6-3 margin.
Senior
Alex Brake started in the circle and went the first 4.0 innings. She allowed six hits and two earned runs with two strikeouts. Reding earned the save, going 3.0 innings with only two hits allowed.
Day went 1-for-4 with two RBI. Reding finished 1-for-3 with two RBI.
Newman 3, RSU 2
With the Hillcats up 2-1 going into the bottom of the seventh inning, the host Jets scored two runs with two outs to take the 3-2 walk-off victory in game two.
Newman's rally started with back-to-back two out singles in the seventh inning. With runners at the corners, Erin Jankiewicz tied the score at 2-2 with a single through the right side. The game ended with a walk-off single by Lacey Colvin for a 3-2 NU win.
The Cats jumped on the Jets early with a 1-0 margin in the first inning after a Day double to center field. After Newman tied the score at 1-1 in the second, Day hit a solo home run to left to give the navy and red the 2-1 edge.
Day registered a 2-for-4 performance at the plate in game two with two RBI. She finished at 3-for-8 with four RBI in the doubleheader.
Andrea Morales was the game two starter and went 5.0 innings with only one run allowed. She totaled four strikeouts in the 5.0 innings.
The three-game series concludes on Saturday (March 24) at 12 p.m. at the Newman Softball Field. Live stats and video will be available.
