Lopers Fall 14-6 & 4-0 to #8 Rogers State
Listen to the game here.
Kearney, Neb. – Defending National Champion Rogers State had 18 singles and got a complete game from freshman Jade Sanders to take a double header from Nebraska Kearney, 14-6 (5 innings) and 4-0, Sunday afternoon at Patriot Park.
The eighth-ranked Hillcats from Claremore, Okla., improve to 41-19 (18-8) and now get ready for the eight-team MIAA Tournament next weekend in Topeka. Meanwhile, the Lopers end up at 16-34 (7-19).
It was a pitcher’s duel in the nightcap as Sanders (15-5) battled California sophomore Sydney Thomason. The ‘Cats first run came in the top of the fourth on a delayed steal. The runner at first was caught in a rundown but not before a teammate scored.
RSU then tacked on a run in the fifth and added two more in the seventh. UNK finished with eight hits and had the bases full in the sixth. However, Sanders got a strikeout on a 3-2 pitch to get out of the jam and inning.
“It was fun to see us compete against the defending champions and a team that is nationally ranked again this year,” said UNK head coach Katie Ackermann. “Unfortunately, we left too many runners on base and didn’t get that timely hit. That kind of was our ‘MO’ all weekend … get runners into scoring position but can’t find a way to get them home.”
Sanders worked around those eight hits (seven singles and a double) and two walks by fanning eight. She threw 119 pitches to have her first solo shutout of the spring. Thomason (7-8) allowed just four earned over six full innings with Colorado senior Stacy Bott getting the final three outs in the seventh.
At the plate, Blair senior catcher Katie Gosker went 2 for 4 and Wahoo freshman shortstop Mary Chvatal going 2 for 3. RSU was paced by leadoff hitter Paxton Donaldson (3 for 4, one RBI), cleanup hitter Abbey Rogers (3 for 3) and eight-hole hitter Jaylan Gibson (2 for 3, one run & two RBI’s).
“It’s admirable the grit and fight our team has. We’ve traveled over 7,500 miles this spring and had just 12 home games. It’s a tough season and we’re tired,” said Ackermann. “I really appreciate them staying true to the grind and it’s been a long haul.”
UNK outscored RSU 6-5 over the final four innings in game one but the ‘Cats struck for nine runs in its first at-bat. The damage came via seven hits, a two-out error and two hit batters.
First baseman Bridgett Morales (3 for 4, one run & three RBI’s) and Donaldson (2 for 3, three runs & two RBI’s) led the way with Tulsa transfer Sara Llamas-Howell moving to an impressive 21-2. She allowed one earned run over the first 3.1 innings while fanning two and allowing five hits.
For UNK, sophomore outfielder Lyndsey Roth went 2 for 3 with Thomason and Kearney senior third baseman Avery Wood each knocking in a pair of runs. In the circle, Bott allowed just one earned run in three full innings of relief work.
“On Senior Day, Avery had a triple, Katie had a couple of hits in the last game and Stacy came in and closed out things in the seventh,” said Ackermann. “All three seniors had a pretty successful day and weekend.”
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