CLAREMORE, Okla. – No. 8 Rogers State softball (36-10) came up just short in both games of the doubleheader against old rival Oklahoma City (40-2) in non-conference action on Tuesday.
 
GAME 1 – OCU 5, RSU 4
 
The first game of the day began as a high-powered pitchers' duel with neither starter allowing a run in the first four innings. Sara Llamas-Howell scattered five hits and left the same number of runners stranded over that span. Shelby Cornelson likewise held RSU to just one hit and left three runners on base.
 
The Stars finally broke through the stalemate in the fifth inning to take a 2-0 lead. A RBI triple to right brought in the first run with a sacrifice fly to right plating the other run.
 
They added another run in the sixth to go up 3-0 thanks to a solo homer to left field.
 
The Hillcats got a run back in the bottom of the frame to cut the deficit to 3-1. Ashtyn Barrett blasted the first pitch she saw, sending the ball careening over the left field fence for a solo shot.
 
OCU answered back in the top of the seventh with two runs to jump back out to a 5-1 lead. A bases loaded walk and a sacrifice fly to center scored the runs.
 
In the home half of the inning, RSU tried to mount a comeback as Lana Gass led off the frame with a double to center. Paxton Donaldson followed it up with a single through the left side of the infield, with McKayla Carney loading the bases by beating out a single off the pitcher's leg. With one out, Abbey Rogers drove in Gass with a fielder's choice to first. Kaylee Lyon then laced a double to left center to bring in Mariah Belzer, who pinch ran for Rogers, to get within one run at 5-4. Unfortunately, the threat ended in the next at bat with a popup to second base.
 
Cornelson (17-2) earned the win. Llamas-Howell (17-6) took the loss.
 
GAME 2 – OCU 1, RSU 0
 
The second game was another hotly contested pitchers' duel with a scoreless first inning.
 
The Stars pushed across the game's only run in the second inning to go up 1-0 after a single up the middle brought in the run from second.
 
Over the remaining five innings, both starters refused to give up another run. Jade Sanders scattered three hits and left five OCU runners on base over that span. Emersen Heron likewise held the Hillcats to three hits with five runners left stranded.


The Hillcats' best opportunity to score came in the bottom of the sixth as Paxton Donaldson led off the frame with a hit by pitch. A groundout to third moved her to second. Callie Yellin put the ball in play with a single to left, but Donaldson was gunned down at the plate trying to score from second.
Heron (18-0) earned the win. Sanders (14-3) took the loss.
 
The Hillcats will return to action as they continue the final homestand of the regular season on Friday, April 26 with a matchup against Nebraska Kearney. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.