BENTONVILLE, Ark. – No. 1 Rogers State softball (4-0) swept Harding (4-2) and Illinois Springfield (1-2) on the first day of the Alvy Early Classic on Saturday.
 
GAME 1 – RSU 9, HU 2
 
In the first game of the day, Harding wasted no time getting on the board as back-to-back doubles to start the first inning plated the game's first run.
 
The Hillcats responded in the bottom of the first with four runs to take a 4-1 lead. Chelsea Spain reached to lead off the inning after getting hit by a pitch, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Nicole Price earned a walk to put runners at first and second. With two outs, Bridgett Morales doubled to bring in both Spain and Price. With a 1-0 count in the next at-bat, MaKayla Jackson belted a two-run blast.
 
RSU added another run in the bottom of the second to go up 5-1. Paxton Donaldson led off the frame with a full count walk, and later stole second. After Nicole Price reached on a fielder's choice, they pulled off a double steal to put runners in scoring position. Lana Gass drove in Donaldson with a groundout back to the pitcher.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Donaldson blasted a first pitch homer to extend the lead out to 6-1.
 
The Bison got a run back in the top of the fifth to cut the lead down to 6-2. The run scored on a sacrifice fly to right.
 
In the sixth inning, the Hillcats added three final runs to seal the 9-2 win. Donaldson led off with a double to start the frame. A double from Spain plated Donaldson, and Spain scored on a throwing error by the catcher.
 
Sara Llamas-Howell (2-0) earned the decision after working 4.0 innings only allowing one earned run with two strikeouts. Riley Prince (2-1) suffered her first loss of the season.
 
GAME 2 – RSU 6, UIS 6
 
In the second game of the day, it was the Hillcats who got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning. Nicole Price walked with one out to get a runner on. She then scored on an error by the shortstop.
 
RSU tacked on another run in the bottom of the third to go up 2-0. Lana Gass walked and moved to second on a MaKayla Jackson single. Bridgett Morales brought in Gass with an RBI single.
 
The Hillcats extended their lead in the bottom of the fourth with three runs to push out to 5-0. Chelsea Spain singled with two outs. Nicole Price doubled to bring in Spain. Gass then homered to plate Price.
 
The Prairie Stars finally got on the board in the top of the fifth with two runs to cut the deficit to 5-2. The first run scored on an RBI double with an RBI single plating the second run.
RSU got a run back in the bottom of the fifth to go back up 6-2. Marissa Smith singled to start things with one out. Jaylan Gibson then followed with her own single to move Smith to second. An error by the third baseman loaded the bases, and a groundout to the second baseman scored Smith.
 
The UIS bats came alive in the top of the sixth as they scored three runs to pull with one run at 6-5. The first run scored as a runner was caught trying to steal second. The second run also scored on a steal attempt. An RBI single brought in the final run of the inning.
 
In the top of the seventh, the Prairie Stars earned a walk with one out. With two outs, a double advanced the runner to third, who then tried to take home but was gunned down at the plate to seal the win for the Hillcats.
 
Jade Sanders (1-0) earned her first win of the season and first complete game working all 7.0 innings with 12 strikeouts. Reagan Miles (0-1) suffered her first loss of the season.
 
RSU will close out the Alvy Early Classic tomorrow with a doubleheader against Drury and Southeastern Oklahoma State. First pitch against DU is set for 11 a.m. with the game against SEOSU set to begin at 1 p.m.