CLAREMORE, Okla. – No. 6 Rogers State softball (14-3) swept the non-conference doubleheader against Ouachita Baptist (8-12) in the home opener on Tuesday.
 
"Today was a good warmup for the start of MIAA play this weekend," said head coach Andrea Vaughan. "Abbey Rogers came through big in the second game, and you want veterans like that who thrive under pressure. She is swinging it really well right now. Kaylee Lyon has also been great at third base, not just today but over the last couple of weeks."
 
GAME 1 – RSU 2, OBU 1
 
The first game of the day was a classic pitchers' duel with the Tigers getting on the board first with an early 1-0 lead. A RBI groundout back to the pitcher scored the run from third.
 
The Hillcats got the run back in the bottom of the second to tie things at 1-1. In the first at-bat of the inning, Chole Bohuslavicky blasted a 1-1 pitch to straightaway center.
 
RSU went up 2-1 in the third after Kaylee Lyon launched her own solo shot to left center.
 
Over the final four innings, both pitching staffs combined to scatter five hits with five runners left stranded.
 
Jade Sanders (4-2) earned the complete game win, only allowing one run on three hits with six strikeouts over her 7.0 inning start. Catie Amador (5-5) took the loss.
 
GAME 2 – RSU 14, OBU 10
 
The second game of the day was the complete opposite of the first with the Hillcats jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Kaylee Lyon led off with a double to right center. Abbey Rogers traded places with her with a double to right center as well. Later in the frame, Chole Bohusalvicky drove in Rogers with a single through the left side of the infield.
 
OBU answered back with a run in the second inning to cut the deficit to 2-1 as a double steal allowed a run to score from third.
 
RSU put up four runs in the home half of the frame to push out to a 6-1 lead. After a Mariah Belzer double to right center, Lyon plated her with a single to center. Three-straight walks allowed Lyon to score. Rogers and McKayla Carney crossed home after a fielding error by the first baseman.
 
The Tigers got a run back in the third to cut the margin to 6-2 with a sacrifice fly to center.
 
The Hillcats tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the inning as Belzer got things started by driving in Mattie Richardson with a single up the middle. A Carney double to left brought in Belzer. Later, Rogers plated Lyon with a sacrifice fly to right.
 
The RSU offense continued to roll in the fourth as they pushed across four more runs to go up 13-2. Brooke Nauman scored on a fielder's choice. Karlee Smith came in on a wild pitch. Rogers drove in Belzer with a single through the right side. A Bridgett Morales single up the middle plated Lyon.
 
Staring down a run rule, Ouachita Baptist exploded for five runs to cut the lead to 13-7. A double to center scored the first two runs with a single up the middle and a triple to center scoring the next two. The Tigers capped off the frame with a RBI single to second.
 
They got within three runs at 13-10 in the top of the sixth with a three-run home run to right center.
 
The Hillcats were able to halt the comeback with a final run in the home half of the inning to secure a 14-10 win thanks to a Rogers solo shot to left center.
 
Harlie Culie (6-0) earned the win after a 5.1 inning start with four strikeouts. Jade Sanders (1) earned the save scattering one hit over the final 1.2 shutout innings in relief. Karley Burrow (0-3) took the loss.
 
RSU opens MIAA play on Friday, March 7 as they welcome Emporia State to the RCB Bank Sports Complex. First pitch for the doubleheader is set for 2 p.m.