SEARCY, Ark. – The No. 12 Rogers State softball team took a split at Harding University on Tuesday, taking game one of the non-conference doubleheader before falling in game two at the Harding Softball Complex.
GAME ONE
Rogers State 6, Harding 2
Records: Rogers State (10-3) | Harding (10-3)
W: Andrea Morales (5-2) | L: Lily Tanski (6-2) | S: M'Kayla Hillman (1)
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a quick first inning for both teams, Rogers State took the lead in the third inning with three runs. After back-to-back singles from
Danelle Day and
Abigail Taylor to begin the inning,
Elexis Watson hit a one-out single to score Day for the opening run of the game.
Two batters later,
Payton Stroud hit a single up the middle to score Taylor to double the Hillcat lead. Watson then scored on a delayed steal attempt by Stroud for the final run of the inning.
The Hillcats would get another run in the fourth inning off of a RBI single by Watson up the middle to score Taylor from second.
Harding would get a run back in the bottom of the fourth after a leadoff double came around to score on a two-out single.
Another two-out RBI single in the bottom of the fifth saw the Hillcat lead cut to 4-2, but
M'Kayla Hillman came in the circle in relief and got the Hillcats out of a bases loaded jam.
The Hillcats would add two insurance runs in the seventh inning.
Makayla Bowman hit a RBI single to score Stroud for the first run. Taylor would then hit a sacrifice fly to score
Tailee Reding for the final run.
GAME NOTES
- Andrea Morales tossed 4.2 innings for the win. Morales allowed two runs on four hits and two walks with nine strikeouts.
- Morales threw nine strikeouts for the fourth time this season.
- Hillman picked up the first save of the season for the Hillcats.
- Reding led the Hillcats with three hits in the game, her second multi-hit game of the season.
- Five Hillcats finished with at least two hits in the game.
- Rogers State's 12 hits is tied for the second most by the Hillcats this season.
GAME TWO
Rogers State 3, Harding 5
Records: Rogers State (10-4) | Harding (11-3)
W: Jessica Bridges (4-0) | L: Delanie Freeze (2-2) | S: Abby Burch (1)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Hillcats fell behind early as Harding plated a run in the bottom of the first with a RBI double after a lead off walk.
Rogers State would bring the game back to 1-1 after an RBI triple from Day in the third scored Stroud. However, Harding responded with two runs in the bottom of the third on a RBI single and a sacrifice fly.
Harding would extend the lead to 5-1 in the fourth with another RBI single and then a Hillcat error.
Rogers State would get a run back in the sixth, cutting the deficit to 5-2 with a solo homerun by
Elexis Watson to left field.
The Hillcats would start off the seventh with a walk by Haley Womack and then a double by
Lana Gass to put runners on second and third. After two infield groundouts, Day singled to right field, scoring pinch runner
Jaylan Gibson, but Gass was thrown out at home from right field to end the game.
GAME NOTES
- Watson hit her fifth homerun of the season, moving into a tie with Makayla Bowman for the team lead.
- Day was the only Hillcat to finish with multiple hits, recording two. Day also had two RBIs.
- Day's triple was the first of the season for Rogers State and the third of her career. It was the last triple by a Hillcat since March 6, 2020, which was also hit by Day.
- Hillcat pitching did not record a strikeout in the game. It is the first time since April 11, 2019 at Lubbock Christian that the Hillcats did not record a strikeout.
- Delanie Freeze allowed four runs, all earned on four hits and two walks.
- Hillman tossed three innings, giving up one unearned run on two hits.
UP NEXT
Rogers State will set its focus on the HiVee Classic. The Hillcats will play Augustana and Bemidji State on Friday, March 19 and St. Cloud State and Sioux Falls on Saturday, March 20.
