CLAREMORE, OKLAHOMA - Northwestern Oklahoma State baseball traveled to Claremore for a non-conference midweek game against Rogers State. The Hillcats used the middle innings of the game to take control scoring eight of their nine runs in innings five through seven after the Rangers went up 2-0 in the first.
The win improves the Hillcats record to 6-8 on the season while the Rangers fall to 6-8 on the season with the loss ending Northwestern's three game win streak.
Northwestern had six hitters each with one hit in the afternoon with the biggest one coming from Yugo Hamakawa with a 2-run home run in the first inning having the Rangers only 2 RBIs of the afternoon.
In the top of the first inning the Rangers got things started fast with a leadoff single by Shaughn Kelly getting the first base runner of the afternoon before Hamakawa drove him home with a 2-run home run to right center field giving Northwestern a quick 2-0 lead. Hayden Priest would single in the inning as well but was left on base.
Hoffman worked around a walk in the bottom half of the inning to hold the Northwestern lead at 2-0 through the first.
Rogers State answered back with one run in the second inning following a leadoff single which led to Folds stealing third allowing the Hillcats to get on the board with a sacrifice fly to left to cut the Ranger lead to 2-1.
Northwestern pushed a runner into scoring position in the third following a Blake Hoffman single but the Hillcats escaped any damage holding the game at 2-1.
Rogers State tied the game in the fifth following a leadoff walk advancing to third following an error on a pickoff attempt. Womack then tied the game on a sacrifice fly to center field making it a 2-2 game through five innings of the game.
In the sixth inning Rogers continued their comeback with two straight singles on a leadoff single followed by a double by Martinez pushing the Hillcats in front for the first time of the game at 3-2. The inning continued with the home team loading the bases before a 2-RBI double by Barrera pushed the Hillcat lead to 5-2 through six innings in Claremore.
In the seventh Rogers State extended their lead to 9-2. After putting the first three runners on base in the inning Fold would hit a 2-RBI double scoring two runs before a balk and a ground out pushed the home team's lead to seven.
Northwestern would get a double from Gavin Mendoza but could not come around to score as the Hillcats held their 9-2 lead. The score ended there with Rogers State winning 9-2 over the Rangers snapping the two game win streak the Rangers had against the Hillcats.
The Red-and-Black will be back in action Friday evening, opening a three game series against East Central with first pitch at 6:00 PM Friday before a doubleheader starting at 1:00 PM Saturday.
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