CLAREMORE, Okla. – Rogers State softball closed out the regular season with a doubleheader sweep of Washburn Saturday afternoon on Senior Day to secure homefield for the quarterfinal round of the MIAA Tournament.
GAME ONE
Rogers State 4, Washburn 1
Records: Rogers State (29-13-1, 17-8 MIAA) | Washburn (26-14, 12-11 MIAA)
W: Andrea Morales (20-5) |
L: Ashlie Thissen (0-1)
How It Happened
- The Hillcats took the lead with back-to-back home runs in the third inning. Tailee Reding put the Hillcats in front with a solo home run to left field. Makayla Bowman then stepped up and hit a home run to straightaway center field to double the Hillcat lead.
- After a scoreless fourth inning, Washburn's Ashton Friend broke up a perfect game for Andrea Morales in the fifth, as Friend hit a solo home run to left on the first pitch of the inning.
- Rogers State would answer back in the bottom of the inning, as Elexis Watson worked a bases loaded walk to score pinch runner Kimberli Presnell.
- In the bottom of the sixth, the Hillcats loaded the bases again and Danelle Day hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Jaylan Gibson for the final run of the game.
Game Notes
- Morales tossed four perfect innings and finished with just the one hit and one walk allowed in the contest. Morales finished with eight strikeouts in the complete game victory.
- Reding and Bowman each finished with two hits in the contest.
- Bowman also had two walks, finishing the game perfect at the plate, reaching in all four trips.
- Abigail Taylor, Lana Gass, and Sabrina Anguiano all finished with one hit.
- Jaylan Gibson was hitless but reached twice on walks and scored a run.
GAME TWO
Rogers State 7, Washburn 4
Records: Rogers State (30-13-1, 18-8 MIAA) | Washburn (26-15, 12-12 MIAA)
W: Andrea Morales (21-5) |
L: Raegen Hamm (12-10)
How It Happened
- Washburn would take an early lead as Bri Francis hit a two-run home run to left field to put the Ichabods up 2-0.
- After the Hillcats were held scoreless in the first, Elexis Watson tied the game for the Hillcats in the bottom of the second. With Taylor on base, Watson hit a homerun to center field to tie the game at two.
- For the second time on the day, the Hillcats would hit back-to-back home runs, as Anguiano then stepped up and put RSU in front with a solo shot to left field.
- Washburn answered back with another home run in the top of the third, as Marrit Mead hit a solo shot to left to tie the game at 3-3.
- In the bottom of the third, the Hillcats went back in front as Gass singled to left, scoring Day.
- Washburn answered back with a RBI single in the fifth to tie the game again.
- Rogers State went back in front for good as Taylor hit a massive homerun well over the fence in left field with pinch runners Presnell and Faren Walker on to give the Hillcats a 7-4 lead.
Game Notes
- Taylor went 3-for-3 in game two with three RBIs and two runs scored.
- Six Hillcats finished with one hit in the game, including Gibson, who also had two walks.
- Morales picked up her 21st win of the season and third win in two days as she tossed another complete game in the circle. Morales finished with five strikeouts and just one walk against.
- The Hillcats hit three home runs in the game and finished with five on the day. Over the two-day homestand, the Hillcats hit 11 home runs in four games.
- With the win, the Hillcats secured a top four seed headed into next week's MIAA Tournament.
Up Next
Rogers State will host Fort Hays State in the quarterfinal round of the MIAA Tournament on May 6-7. The official game times and schedule will be announced on Monday following the completion of the MIAA regular season schedule. The Hillcats will play the Tigers in a best-of-three series, all at the Diamond Sports Complex, with the winner advancing to the MIAA Championship rounds the next week in Edmond, Oklahoma.
