OKLAHOMA CITY – No. 14 Rogers State softball (12-1) sweep the first day of the second weekend of the Edmond Regional Festival with wins over Southeastern Oklahoma State (7-5) and Harding (9-2) on Friday.
GAME ONE - No. 14 RSU 7, SEOSU 1
In the first game of the day, the Savage Storm broke the scoring open early as they got their only run of the game in the first inning. The run scored on a sacrifice squeeze bunt.
The Hillcats answered in the bottom of the second with three runs to go up 3-1. Bridgette Morales got the offense going with a two-run home run to left plating Makayla Bowman. Chelsea Spain later scored Tailee Reding with a single to third.
RSU added three more runs in the third and fourth to push out to 6-1. In the third, Morales came up big again with a RBI triple to center bringing Bowman home again. In the fourth, Spain and Rebecca Bell scored on a throwing error by the second baseman on a Kimberli Presnell fielder's choice.
The Hillcats tacked on one more run in the seventh to seal the 7-1 win. Once again, Morales blasted her second home run of the game, this one a solo shot to left center. In total, she finished the day going 3-for-3 at the plate with four RBI.
Andrea Morales (7-0) continued to carve up batters in the circle earning the win with six strikouts in 5.0 innings, and only allowing three hits. M'Kayla Hillman also had a great performance, finishing out the final two innings without giving up a hit and striking out two batters. SEOSU's Amberlyn Walsworth (4-3) took the loss.
GAME TWO - No. 14 RSU 6, Harding 3
The second game began as a pitcher's duel as both starters worked two scoreless frames to start.
The Bison broke the seal in the bottom of the third to take an early 1-0 lead. The run scored on a fielding error by the shortstop.
RSU responded in the top of the fourth with two runs to take a 2-1 lead. Kimberli Presnell got in the on the home run action with a two-run bomb over the left center field wall bringing in Natalie Gonzalez.
The Hillcats exploded for four runs in the fifth innings to break the game open at 6-1. Callie Yellin scored on a fielder's choice from Spain. Jaylan Gibson blasted her own three-run round tripper to left center plating Spain and Reding.
Harding attempted to mount a comeback of their own with a two-run blast in the sixth inning to cut the deficit to 6-3. However, that would be as close as they would get as they stranded two runners in the inning, and went quietly in the seventh with three quick outs.
The duo of Hillman and Morales again made short work of the Bison. Morales (8-0) earned the win, finishing the final 3.2 innings after Hillman shutdown Harding in the first 3.1 innings. Lily Tanski (5-2) suffered the loss for the Bison.
The Hillcats return to action tomorrow with the second day of the Edmond Regional Festival as they face off against Southern Arkansas and Cameron. The games are scheduled for 12:45 p.m. at Oklahoma Christian and 5:15 p.m. at Piedmont High School, respectively.
