CLAREMORE, Okla. – Rogers State baseball took the opening two games of the MIAA series with Missouri Western on Saturday, sweeping the Griffons with 3-0 and 9-5 victories at the Diamond Sports Complex.
With the two victories, Rogers State (6-3, 3-2 MIAA) claims its first series victory in the MIAA ahead of the third and final game of the series against the Griffons (2-8, 1-4 MIAA) on Sunday.
How It Happened (Game 1): It was a pitcher's duel early on as both teams were only able to get one runner on base in the first two innings.
After Missouri Western put two on base in the third,
Jackson Simonsgaard got out of the jam with a flyout and strikeout, one of eight he had in the game.
The Hillcats would strand the bases loaded in the third, but found the opening breakthrough in the fourth inning after loading the bases again.
Jerry Davis scored the opening run on a wild pitch.
Later in the inning,
Mason Harvey drew a bases loaded walk to score
Erick Leef and double the Hillcats lead.
It would be more than enough run support for Simonsgaard, who went on to pitch eight scoreless innings for his first win of the season.
Missouri Western would threaten in the eighth inning, getting runners to second and third, but Simonsgaard recorded back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the jam.
Kyle Simms would add an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, singling home Davis for the third and final run of the game.
CJ Edwards pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the ninth to seal the victory and pick up his first save of the season.
How It Happened (Game 2): Missouri Western would strike first in game two, scoring a run in the top of the first to take an early lead that the Griffons held into the fourth inning.
Prescott Horn put the Hillcats on the board with an RBI single in the fourth, scoring Davis. Two batter later, a failed pick off attempt allowed
Skyler Nelson to score on the throwing error by the pitcher.
Horn then scored on another error by the pitcher, with a wild throw on a sacrifice bunt by
Christian Merriwether.
The Hillcats would add another run minutes later, executing a double steal with
Victor Ceniceros taking home after a throw to second attempting to catch Merriwether.
Rogers State would add two more runs in the fifth inning on an RBI single by
Brooks Betcher, scoring
Jerry Davis, and then a sacrifice bunt RBI from Ceniceros to score Horn.
Missouri Western would hit a two-run home run in the seventh, but the Hillcats answered back with three runs in the eighth. Merriwether scored on a throwing error and then
Brandon Bradshaw hit a two-run home run to left field as the Hillcats went up 9-3.
The Griffons would threaten in the ninth, scoring two runs.
Jordan Ewig came in and got the Hillcats out of a bases loaded jam, recording the final two outs for the save.
Players of Note: Skyler Nelson led the Hillcats with four hits, going 4-for-7 at the plate with a double, walk and hit by pitch.
Bradshaw finished the day with three hits, including the two-run home run in game two.
Davis led the Hillcats with four runs scored. He also had three hits and a pair of walks.
Hirn and Betcher each had two hits. Betcher also added a pair of walks.
Merriwether's hit streak came to an end on the day, but the senior had a walk, two hit-by-pitches. He also had a stolen base.
Up Next: Rogers State will return to the Diamond Sports Complex on Sunday for the final game of the series, looking for the sweep in Missouri Western. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
