BENTONVILLE, Okla. – No. 1 Rogers State softball (6-0) finished the weekend going 4-0 with wins over Drury and Southeastern Oklahoma State in the Alvy Early Classic on Sunday.
 
GAME 1 – RSU 3, DU 0
 
In the first game of the day, the Hillcats wasted no time putting up three runs in the first inning. Chelsea Spain led off with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Nicole Price then earned a nine-pitch walk. Lana Gass blasted a singled off the Drury pitcher's arm that careened just behind the shortstop and scored Spain. With one out, Bridgett Morales banged a double off the right field wall to plate Price. MaKayla Jackson took a 3-1 walk to load the bases. Jaylan Gibson followed that up with a 4-0 walk of her own to bring in Gass.
 
From there, the game devolved into a pitcher's duel with neither starter giving up a run for the remainder of the game.
 
The Hillcats had a chance to extend their lead in the third as Morales singled to center with one out. Paxton Donaldson reached on a fielder's choice with Morales out at second. Marissa Smith singled through the left side of the infield with a wild pitch putting runners in scoring position with two outs. Unfortunately, a foul out to first ended the inning.
 
The Panthers were never a real scoring threat as they never got a runner past second base.
 
Sara Llamas-Howell (3-0) earned her first complete game shutout victory of the season working all 7.0 innings scattering four hits with six strikeouts. Lindsay Henson (0-1) suffered her first loss of the season.
 
GAME 2 – RSU 11, SEOSU 1 (5 Innings)
 
In the second game of the day, the Hillcat offense came alive as they exploded for eight runs in the first inning. Chelsea Spain led off the frame with a four-pitch walk. Nicole Price moved her to third with a bunt single. Price later took second on a wild pitch to put runners in scoring position. Lana Gass walked to load the bases and Abbey Rogers followed with a walk to bring in Spain. On the first pitch she saw, Bridgett Morales launched a ball to straightaway center field for a grand slam, clearing the bases. Makayla Jackson dropped a ball in left center for a single and was pinch run for by Bobbi Leitha, who later stole second. Paxton Donaldson was hit by a pitch. In her second at-bat of the frame, Spain singled to center to score both Leitha and Donaldson. Price followed it up with her own single to left, plating Spain.
 
RSU added a run in the third to extend their lead to 9-0. Donaldson was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. She then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher. Nicole Price brought her in with a sacrifice fly to right.
 
The Savage Storm finally got on the board in the top of the fourth to trim the margin to 9-1. The run came in on a RBI double to right center.
The Hillcats answered with two final runs in the bottom half to seal the 11-1 win. Morales singled to center to lead off the inning. Ashtyn Barrett, who was pinch hitting for Jackson, put a ball over the left field wall for a two-run blast.
 
Harley Culie (2-0) earned the win working 4.0 innings allowing the lone run on only three hits with five strikeouts. Janelle Marwitz (0-1) suffered her first loss of the season.
 
The top-ranked Hillcats will be back in action on Friday, Feb. 17 as they travel to Bethany, Okla. to face off against SEOSU again in the first game of the Raising Canes Softball Festival.