CLAREMORE, Okla. – No. 1 Rogers State softball (19-2) split a mid-week doubleheader against Arkansas Tech (14-8) on Tuesday.
 
GAME 1 – ATU 4, RSU 3
 
The Golden Suns came out of the gates swinging as they put up three runs in the first inning. All three runs came on moonshot over the center field wall on a 2-2 pitch.
 
The Hillcats got a run back in the home half of the frame to cut the deficit to 3-1. Chelsea Spain led off the inning with a double to right. Nicole Price moved her to second as she grounded out to the shortstop. Lana Gass plated Spain with a single through the left side of the infield.
 
ATU added a run in the second to go back up 4-1. The run scored on a throwing error by the first baseman.
 
RSU pushed across three runs in the third to pull within one run at 4-3. Price earned an eight-pitch walk to start the frame. Gass then beat out an infield single to third to put runners at first and second. Jaylan Gibson brought both runners home on a single to center.
 
The game then devolved into a pitcher's duel as both staffs refused to allow a run in the final four innings and scattered a combined four hits.
 
The Hillcats best chance to tie the game came in the bottom of the sixth as they had runners on the corners with two outs. Unfortunately, a pop up to the shortstop ended the threat.
 
Bailey Buffington (9-2) earned the win. Harley Culie (5-2) took the loss.
 
GAME 2 – RSU 5, ATU 3
 
The second game started similarly as Tech got on the board first again, this time with two runs in the first. Both runs scored on a fielding error by the right fielder on a missed played ball.
 
RSU responded in the bottom of the second to tie the game at 2-2. MaKayla Jackson led off the inning with a double off the right field wall and was pinch ran for by Marissa Smith. Smith later stole third. A Jaylan Gibson single up the middle brought Smith home. Callie Yellin moved Gibson over to second with a sacrifice bunt. Paxton Donaldson plated her with a single to left center.
 
The Golden Suns retook the lead 3-2 with a run in the top of the fourth. The run scored on a ground out to the shortstop.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, the Hillcats busted the game open pushing across three runs to take their first lead of the day at 5-3. Jackson blasted her second double of the day, this one a screamer to the left field corner. She was then pinch ran for by Natalie Gonzalez, who moved to second on a Gibson groundout to first. Yellin brought her in with a double to center. Donaldson moved Yellin to third with a groundout out to first. Abbey Rogers was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners with Bobbi Leitha re-entering the game to run for her. After a pitching change, Chelsea Spain drove a ball down the right field line to plate both Yellin and Leitha for what would become the game winning runs.
 
Reigning MIAA Pitcher of the Week, Sara Llamas-Howell (9-0) earned the complete game win allowing one earned run with five hits and seven strikeouts. Bradi Basler (3-4) took the loss.
 
The Hillcats will open MIAA play on the road on Saturday, March 11 as they travel to Tahlequah, Okla. to face off against rival Northeastern State. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.