EMPORIA, Kan. – No. 23 Rogers State baseball (16-4, 6-2 MIAA) evened the series with a 4-2 win over Emporia State (9-10, 2-6 MIAA) on Saturday.
 
"Getting the series back to even was huge for us today," said head coach Chris Klimas. "When your starting pitcher goes out in the second inning with an injury, that usually puts you in a bind, but Landeros and Riley picked us up in a big way today. I was just really proud of the way that the guys fought to put us in a position to have a chance to go win the series tomorrow."
 
With his 81st career walk in the fourth inning, Jake Mitchell became the all-time walks leader in RSU baseball history, surpassing Randy Ramirez's (2011-12) record of 80 career walks. To put into perspective how quickly the junior accomplished this feat, Mitchell reached this milestone in 373 plate appearances across 89 games, 80 plate appearances and 28 games faster than Ramirez.
 
"Jake setting the walks record is completely a testament to the maturity and growth that he has shown in his command of the strike zone," Klimas continued. "A big part of that is his ability to hit with two strikes and really make the pitcher work hard to close the at-bat. He's such a good runner and base stealer that a lot of those free passes he earns turn into runs because of the chaos that he can create on the bases with his legs."
 
After a scoreless opening frame, the Hillcats jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Weston Peninger got things started with a one-out double to right field. Tyler Nelson later drove him in with a RBI single to center field.
 
RSU added two more runs in the fifth inning to go up 3-0. Andres Contreras laced a single up the middle with one out and then proceeded to take third on a throwing error by the first baseman during an Andrew Ramirez fielder's choice. Blake Nichols brought in Contreras with a sacrifice fly to center. Jackson Romero then plated Ramirez with a single to third base.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, the Hornets got on the board and cut the deficit to 3-1, thanks to a solo home run to left.
 
The Hillcats responded in the top of the eighth by going back up 4-1. Romero earned a leadoff, full-count walk, and later scored on an RBI single to right from Nelson.
 
ESU tried to mount a comeback in the home half of the eighth but could only scratch across one more run to set the final score at 4-2. An RBI single through the left side of the infield scored the run.
 
Ricardo Landeros (5-0) earned the win, working 3.1 shutout innings in relief as he scattered three hits with two strikeouts. Landon Riley (2) earned the save, throwing the final 4.0 innings out of the bullpen and only allowing two runs on three hits with two strikeouts. Seth Stover (1-3) took the loss.
 
The Hillcats will look to claim the series in the final game of the three-game set tomorrow. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.