ALVA, OKLAHOMA - Northwestern Oklahoma State Baseball played a mid-week game against Rogers State Wednesday afternoon. The Rangers used three runs in the opening inning to take an early 3-0 lead before leading the whole way to close out the 12-2 victory over Rogers State.
The Rangers improved to 8-8 on the season while Rogers State fell to 8-2 on the season.
Brady Welker started the game for the Rangers throwing two innings while striking out two Hillcats. Logan Sandoval then entered the game throwing two innings and striking out three earning the win. Kyle Holzer threw the final two innings scoreless.
Paul Sachen and Gavin Mendoza led the Rangers in hits with three each. Chase Hamilton led the team with a 4-RBI afternoon, as Sachen and Colby Grace each had two.
After a scoreless top of the first inning, the Rangers offense struck for three runs in the home half of the inning. It started with the Rangers loading the bases with nobody out before a run scored on a double play before a Paul Sachen 2-run home run to right field for the 3-0 lead.
Rogers State had a lead off single before the Rangers worked around around the base runner keeping the game at 3-0 in favor of the Rangers. The Hillcats had an opportunity to score in the third inning when they hit back-to-back singles but an inning-ending double play ended the inning.
The game stayed 3-0 into the fourth inning when Carson Wright led the inning off with a single back up the middle before an RBI double by Mendoza pushed the Rangers in front 4-0. Chase Hamilton followed with an RBI single to the left side as the Rangers led 5-0 through four innings.
Rogers State jumped on the board in the sixth inning after loading the bases and was able to score on a Rangers error before a hit batter as they cut the Rangers lead down to 5-2. Northwestern's defense helped escape the jam by throwing a runner out at the plate on a fielder's choice from Grace to Zach Vetal.
Northwestern got one run back in the bottom of the inning after back-to-back walks, Connor Green singled through the right side taking a 6-2 lead.
The Rangers turned a double play getting out of the seventh inning before a big seventh inning struck to end the game. The inning started with three straight singles to load the bases before a balk scored Sachen. A batter later Chase Hamilton cleared the bases with a 3-RBI double to left field giving the Rangers a 10-2 lead. The following hitter Colby Grace delivered a 2-RBI double to center field scoring Bradford and Hamilton as the Rangers walked off the Hillcats with a 12-2 seven-inning victory.
Northwestern returns to action on Friday afternoon with a 2:00 PM single game against East Central to open a three-game series with the Tigers.
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