Rogers State’s pitching staff struggled to find the strike zone all afternoon and as a result the Hillcats dropped a doubleheader to Arkansas Tech on Monday at Bethany’s Field in Russellville, Ark.
Freshmen Kelli Dunagan and Stephanie Eggers combined for 10 walks and eight wild pitches in Game 1. Arkansas Tech’s Kristen Chapman delivered a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth as the Golden Suns scored five times in the inning to claim a 10-5 victory. Randi Tyler went 3-for-3 for RSU with a single, double, triple and a walk.
The Hillcats jumped in front, 4-1, with a four-run third inning in Game 2. A leadoff double by Kacy Ward started the attack. Jessica Meyer followed with an RBI single and Tyler added her second double of the day with shot off the left field wall. However, ATU answered with two runs in the third and three in the fourth to reclaim the lead, 6-4.
RSU trailed 7-4 before mounting a comeback in the seventh. A two-out double by Bridgett Stewart scored Ward and Meyer to make it a one-run game. The Hillcats had their hottest hitter at the plate with tying run on third base when Tyler lined out to third base to end the game. Eggers (10-8) suffered the loss as a reliever in both games.
Coach Dawn Reed’s club fell to 25-13 and will hit the road again on Thursday as they travel to Southern Nazarene. The doubleheader will be the final broadcast of the season on RSU Radio 91.3 FM. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m.