EMPORIA, Kan. – Rogers State baseball (20-12, 8-11 MIAA) came up short 16-10 against Emporia State (13-20, 8-11 MIAA) on Saturday.
 
The Hillcats started hot as they jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Prescott Horn earned a 3-1 walk with two outs to start things. Jesse Holguin singled to center to put runners at the corners. Jorge Martinez followed suit with his own single to center to bring in Horn. Gavin Mestas earned a four-pitch walk to load the bases. Geovanni Blackshaw plated both Holguin and Martinez with a single to right center.
 
RSU added two runs in the third inning to go up 5-0. Holguin led off with a single through the right side. Martinez moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt. Mestas scored Holguin with a single to center. Blackshaw singled to right center moving Mestas to third, and then took second on a wild pitch. Bennett Henderson plated Mestas with a groundout to the shortstop.
 
They pushed across one more run in the top of the fourth to extend the margin to 6-0. AJ Folds started the inning with a seven-pitch walk. Joel Escalante singled to center to put runners at first and second. Horn moved them into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Holguin brought in Folds with a groundout to second.
 
The Hornets got a run back in the home half to cut the deficit to 6-1. The run scored on a RBI single to left.
 
ESU exploded for seven runs in the fifth to take their first lead at 8-6. A double to left center brought in the first two runs with a bases loaded walk plating the third run. Another double to left center followed by a double down the left field line scored the other four runs.
 
The Hillcats answered with three runs in the sixth to go back up 9-8. Escalante started the frame by reaching on an error by the shortstop. Horn then singled to left. Holguin moved them into scoring position with a groundout to first. Martinez brought in Escalante with a single to right center. Mestas returned the favor with a double to right center, scoring Martinez.
 
The Hornets punched back with two runs in the bottom of the frame to retake the lead 10-9. A triple to right field scored the first run with a single to third scoring the other run.
 
RSU tied things at 10-10 in the seventh inning. Escalante singled to center field to led off the frame. Horn moved him to second with a single through the right side of the infield. A Holguin fly out to right moved Escalante to third, who then scored on a wild pitch.
 
Unfortunately, ESU would score six runs in the eighth inning to take a 16-10 win. A bases loaded walk scored the first run. Two singles to left center scored three runs while back-to-back wild pitches brought in the final two runs.
 
Braden Meek (1-0) earned the win. Andrew McGlynn (0-1) took the loss.
 
The two sides will meet in the rubber match tomorrow. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.