CLAREMORE, Okla. – Rogers State baseball (26-22, 17-15 MIAA) used a massive offensive explosion to cruise past Northwest Missouri (18-27, 12-20 MIAA) in a 16-5 victory on Senior Day Saturday.
The Hillcats wasted no time as they put up a five spot all with two outs in the first inning to take an early 5-0 lead. Joel Escalante got things started as he drove in Jesse Holguin with a RBI double down the left field line. Prescott Horn then did something no other Hillcat has ever done as he hit the first inside the park home run in school history to left center, scoring senior Skyler Nelson and Escalante in the process. Carson Cheatwood capped off the inning as he crossed home on a bases loaded walk to Marco Barrera.
The Bearcats responded emphatically in the top of the second as they put up four runs of their own to cut the deficit to 5-4. The first two runs came in on a two RBI double to center, with the other two runs coming on RBI singles up the middle and though the left side of the infield.
RSU tacked on three more runs in the third to push the lead back out to 8-4. Cheatwood came home on a wild pitch with one out. Barrera plated both Ethan Rivera and senior Victor Ceniceros with a two RBI single up the middle.
Northwest Missouri refused to die as they added a run in the fourth to trim the lead to 8-5. A RBI single up the middle scored the run.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Hillcats broke the game open putting up seven runs and taking a 15-5 lead. Nelson and Escalante scored on back-to-back bases loaded walks to get things going. Rivera plated Horn with a RBI single to right center. Senior Jonathan Soto capped off the inning with a three-run moonshot to left field bringing home Rivera and Ceniceros.
RSU scored one final run in the bottom of the fifth to seal the 16-5 win. Horn scored on a RBI double to left from Rivera.
Brett Karalius (3-2) earned the win, while Boone Lasater was effective out of the bullpen only allowing two hits in the final 2.0 innings.
The two teams will face off one final time tomorrow in the regular season finale. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
