Softball Cats Sweep Bacone in Season Opener

MUSKOGEE, Okla.- The Rogers State softball team picked up a pair of victories over Bacone College in its 2012 debut Thursday afternoon in Muskogee.

The Hillcats started the day with a 5-1 victory over the Warriors and rounded out the afternoon with a 13-5 run-rule win. Coach Mark Dicus’ squad banged out 23 hits in the twin bill, including four home runs.

GAME ONE

Brooke Hand drove in the Warriors’ lone run of the game in the bottom of the first with a single to right field. The advantage was short-lived as junior Linsey Curtis knotted the score in the second inning with a solo shot over the center field fence.

After a scoreless third, junior Katrina Loy gave the Hillcats the lead with a leadoff homer over the right field fence. Junior Kaitlin McCool doubled the RSU’s advantage with a two-out single to deep center field, allowing freshman Megan Williams to score.

Williams reached home again in the sixth on a groundout by Niki Keck. Shona Guerrero capped off the scoring in the seventh with the third and final solo home run of the game over the left field fence.

Freshman Laura Fleck registered the win in the circle for the Hillcats as she relieved senior Ashley Wailand in the top of the first. The Muskogee, Okla. native tossed seven scoreless innings allowing just three hits while fanning seven batters in her debut with the Hillcats.

Curtis went 2-for-2 in the game while McCool and Loy also tallied two hits apiece.

GAME TWO

The Hillcats exploded for 13 runs on 12 hits to record a short-game victory in the nightcap.

RSU opened the contest with a trio of runs. McCool scored on a RBI single to shallow center field by junior Ashlie Fauchier. Loy doubled down the right field line, allowing Fauchier to reach home. Pinch runner Gabrielle Cox scored on a ground out by Taran Threet.

Pitcher Linsey Curtis faced the minimum in bottom of the first and RSU tacked on a pair of runs in the top of the second. Curtis led off the second with a double and scored on a pass ball and McCool belted a homer over the right field fence.

BC committed three errors in the third and aided the Hillcats in scoring six runs on four hits. However, RSU tallied a trio of errors in the bottom of the inning and the Warriors capitalized with five runs.

RSU registered its final two runs in the fourth with the help of a miscue by the Warrior defense. With runners on second and third, McCool reached base on an error by Haley Hughes, allowing Threet and Tory Fitch to score.

Curtis tallied the win in the circle for the Cats as she hurled three innings, allowing five unearned runs. Fleck closed out the game as she tossed two scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts.

Rogers State (2-0) returns to action on Tuesday as it travels to Oklahoma Wesleyan for a doubleheader slated to start at 3 p.m.

For more information about RSU Softball visit www.rsuhillcats.com.