SEARCY, Ark. - No. 17 Rogers State softball (33-12) split a mid-week, non-conference doubleheader with No. 10 Harding (35-12) on the road on Monday.
GAME 1 - HU 5, RSU 4
The first game of the day looked like it was going to be a pitchers's duel early as neither starter allowed a run in the first three innings. Over that span, they combined to scatter three hits and leave four runners stranded.
The Hillcats broke the stalemate in the fourth as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead. Kaylee Lyon led off the frame with a walk and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Abbey Rogers reached on a fielding error by the second baseman and then moved to second on a throwing error by the same fielder, with Lyon scoring on the play. With two outs, Chloe Bohuslavicky laced a single into center, driving in Rogers.
They added an insurance run in the third to go up 3-0. Mariah Belzer earned a leadoff walk and later stole second. Brooke Nauman drove a ball down the left field line to put runners at the corners. Belzer then came in as part of a double steal.
RSU tacked on one more run in the top of the sixth for a 4-0 advantage as Rogers launched a leadoff, solo shot to left center.
The Lady Bison's offense began to wake up in the home half of the sixth as they cut the lead to 4-1 on a sacrifice fly to right. They completed the comeback in the seventh as they walked the game off with a grand slam to claim the 5-4 win.
Riley Price (11-6) earned the win. Harley Culie (15-5) took the loss.
GAME 2 - RSU 5, HU 4
The Hillcats bounced back in the second game of the day as they exploded for four runs in the first inning for an early 4-0 lead. Kaylee Lyon was hit by a pitch to lead off the game. Back-to-back walks of Abbey Rogers and Callie Yellin loaded the bases with one out. Chloe Bohuslavicky drove in Lyon with a single to left. Bridgett Morales followed suit as she plated Rogers with a single to left. Yellin scored on a fielding error by the third baseman. A Savannah Evans sacrifice fly to center brought in Bohuslavicky.
After two scoreless frames, RSU tacked on another run in the third to go up 5-0. Yellin doubled to left center to lead off the inning and later moved to third on a Bohuslavicky fly out to right. Morales plated her with a single to left.
Harding got two runs back in the fourth to cut the deficit to 5-2 on a two RBI single up the middle. Another two RBI single in the fifth got them within one run. However, that would be as close as the Lady Bison would get with the Hillcats holding on for the 5-4 victory.
Jade Sanders (13-6) earned the complete game win only allowing three earned runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts. Avery Booker (9-2) took the loss.
RSU is back in action on Saturday, April 26 as they close out the regular season in Tahlequah, Okla. against rival Northeastern State. First pitch for the doubleheader is set for 1 p.m.
