MARYVILLE, Mo. – No. 4 Rogers State softball (31-5, 15-1 MIAA) handled their business with a doubleheader sweep of Northwest Missouri State (17-21, 6-8 MIAA) to begin the four-game road trip on Friday.
 
GAME 1 – RSU 11, NWMSU 3 (5 Innings)
 
The Hillcats exploded out of the gates to begin the day, pushing across eight runs in the first two innings to go up 8-0.
 
In the first frame, McKayla Carney got things started with a leadoff walk. Abbey Rogers later drove her in with a single to right field. Callie Yellin then broke things open with a three-run blast, scoring Rogers and Bridgett Morales.
 
Yellin again launched her second three-run round-tripper of the day in the second inning, that plated Morales and Paxton Donaldson. Kaylee Lyon kept the home run party going with a solo shot of her own.
 
Lyon put RSU up 11-0 in the top of the fourth with her own three-run long ball, bringing in Rogers and Morales.
 
The Bearcats finally got on the board in the bottom half of that inning as they were able to cut the deficit to 11-3 with a three-run homer of their own.
 
Sara Llamas-Howell (15-3) earned the win with a 4.0 inning start, allowing two earned runs on three hits with six strikeouts. Harley Culie pitched a perfect fifth inning with two strikeouts. Olivia Moyer (3-4) took the loss.
 
GAME 2 – RSU 4, NWMSU 2
 
The second game was the exact opposite with RSU taking a 1-0 lead in the second inning after a scoreless first. Callie Yellin led off the frame with a double to right. Brooke Nauman brought her in from second with a single to left.
 
The Hillcats added two insurance runs in the top of the fifth to go up 3-0. With one out, McKayla Carney and Paxton Donaldson hit back-to-back singles to put two runners on base. Bridgett Morales drove them in with a single to right.
 
Northwest tried to mount a comeback in the bottom half of the frame, but were only able to get two runs to cut the lead to 3-2. Both runs scored on a single to center.
 
RSU added one final run in the sixth to seal the 4-2 win with Nauman plating Kaylee Lyon from second with a single to second base.
 
Jade Sanders (12-2) earned the win after a 5.0 inning start that saw her only allow one earned run on one hit with two strikeouts. Harley Culie (4) earned the save, working the final 2.0 innings in relief and scattering one hit with two strikeouts. Jadyn Streigle (6-8) took the loss.
 
The Hillcats will be back in action tomorrow as they travel to St. Joseph, Mo. to take on Missouri Western. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.