FORT SMITH, Ark. - Rogers State baseball (25-17, 15-15 MIAA) won the final game in the mid-week series against Arkansas-Fort Smith (12-28, 7-23 MIAA) 11-3 in a game where RSU collected 15 hits on Wednesday afternoon.

"That was a game that we had to have, with only two series left in conference play," said head coach Chris Klimas. "I thought our pitchers did a nice job competing in the zone and we played some really good defense behind them. Getting Andres Contreras back in the lineup after being out for several weeks was a big lift for us."

UAFS scored the first run in the bottom of the first inning, but the Hillcats came to life in the top of the fourth inning when they scored three runs. Contreras put the ball to play, which allowed Blake Nichols to score. Jake Mitchell and Luis Fuentes each scored due to errors committed by the Lions. UAFS committed seven errors in the game.

In the top of the fifth inning, RSU scored another run, thanks to Contreras hitting an RBI triple to left field, plating Jackson Romero in from first base. Romero had a terrific day, going 3-for-4 from the plate, and scoring three runs.
The Hillcats tacked on three more runs in the top of the eighth inning, recording three hits. UAFS scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, but RSU remained in control. The Hillcats answered in the top of the ninth inning with four insurance runs with plays like Contreras collecting two RBIs when he hit a double in the left center field gap, scoring Romero and Nichols.

Cole Abbott (2-4) collected the win, where in five innings of pitching, he threw four strikeouts, gave up a run and scattered three hits. Brayden Ross (1-7) from UAFS took the loss.

RSU returns to action on Friday, April 25th when they open a three-game series at Missouri Southern in Joplin. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.