EDMOND, Okla. - No. 12 Rogers State softball (41-10) only needed three runs in the bottom of the first inning to defeat Missouri Southern (33-22) 3-1 as the No. 1 seed in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Tournament on Thursday.

The Hillcats loaded the bases with no outs and scored a run before the Lions made a pitching change. Paxton Donaldson led off the home half of the first with a stand-up double to right field, then McKayla Carney, Abbey Rogers and Kaylee Lyon were walked, which allowed Donaldson to score. Ashtyn Barrett hit a ground ball to third base and Rogers scored as she beat the tag at home. Kaylee Lyon scored when Bridgett Morales hit a sacrifice RBI to third base. 

There was not much action until the top of the sixth when Missouri Southern got runners on first and second base with no outs. Taylor Nuckolls from Missouri Southern hit a line drive, but Carney made a diving catch and threw the ball to second base for a double play. However, the Lions got a run on the board when Kara Amos tallied her 39th RBI of the season when she hit a single to center field, which allowed Yazmin Vargas to score. RSU managed to get out of the inning only surrendering one run and three hits going into the bottom of the sixth inning.

RSU's offense recorded two hits in the bottom of the sixth inning when Morales hit a single and Lana Gass hit a double. Donaldson was walked, which loaded the bases with one out. But RSU hit two pop flys and did not score.

The Lions tried to mount a comeback in the top of the seventh inning as they put runners on the corners with no outs. Sara-Llamas Howell tallied back to back to back strikeouts.With two outs,  Kylee Jacks stepped to plate for MSSU and hit a shot to center field, but Gass made a game winning catch to advance the Hillcats to the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament.

Llamas Howell (20-6) earned the complete game win with two strikeouts, giving up one run on seven hits. Lily Rand (3-4) took the loss.

Rogers State will take on the winner of Washburn and Northwest Missouri in the semifinals of the tournament tomorrow. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.