MARYVILLE, Mo. – Rogers State baseball (25-19, 13-18 MIAA) took the first game of a three-game set 10-3 from Northwest Missouri (12-33, 9-22 MIAA) on Friday.
 
After a scoreless first inning, the Hillcats got on the board first in the second inning as Gavin Mestas drove in Jesse Holguin with a double to right center for an early 1-0 lead.
 
RSU expanded their lead out to 4-0 with three more runs in the third. Carson Cheatwood started things as he plated AJ Folds with a sacrifice fly to right after Folds led off with a triple to right center. Holguin later scored Prescott Horn with a single to center, with Holguin later scoring on a fielding error by the first baseman.
 
The Bearcats got a run back in the home half of the third on a RBI single to right.
 
The Hillcats went back up 5-1 in the fifth as Jorge Martinez brought in Holguin from second with a single to right.
 
RSU pushed the margin out to 8-1 with a three-run frame in the sixth. Folds drove in Ramon Torres with a double down the left field line. A Cheatwood triple to center scored Folds, with Cheatwood later scoring on a Holguin fielder's choice.
 
NWMSU got two more runs in the bottom half to cut into the defict 8-3. A RBI fielder's choice and sacrifice fly plated the runs.
 
The Hillcats got two final runs in the eighth as Geovanni Blackshaw went yard, driving a pitch over the left field fence and scoring Holguin.
 
Rece Parker (6-3) earned the win with 6.0 innings of work allowing three runs on five hits with two strikeouts. Matt Lintz and Quinn Tocheniuk also had strong outings out of the bullpen combining for the final three shutout innings with two hits and four strikeouts. Alex Slocum (5-4) took the loss.
 
The two teams will face off in the second game of the series tomorrow. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.