Morales Throws Second No-Hitter In Two Days, Hillcats Sweep Nebraska-Kearney
No. 6 Rogers State softball (43-9, 20-6 MIAA) closed out the regular season on a high note as they swept Nebraska-Kearney (23-25, 13-13 MIAA) on Senior Day Saturday. With the two victories, RSU set a new school record for wins, surpassing the 2008 squad who finished 42-17.
GAME ONE – RSU 4, UNK 0
After tossing her first perfect game and the second one in school history yesterday, senior Andrea Morales (25-3) matched her effort with the third no-hitter of her career, the seventh in school history, in the first game of the day. With 15 strikeouts, one shy of the single game program record, Morales missed back-to-back perfect games allowing a full count walk in the first inning.
The Hillcats got on the board in the bottom of the first inning with a 1-0 lead. With two outs, Lana Gass doubled down the left field line for the first hit of the game. Abbey Rogers turned around and drove her in with a RBI single to center.
RSU tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the fifth to go up 4-0. Chelsea Spain scored on a fielding error by the shortstop to start the inning off. Rogers again brought in Gass, this time with a RBI double to left center. Senior Elexis Watson plated Nicole Gonzalez for the final run of the frame with a RBI single down the left field line.
UNK’s Sydney Thomason (2-4) was as effective as she could be in the loss, only allowing one earned run on five hits.
GAME TWO – RSU 6, UNK 2
The second game of the doubleheader was more offense friendly with the Lopers taking an early 2-0 lead after scoring one run in each of the first two innings. The first run came on a RBI double to right center in the second at-bat of the game. UNK got their second run on a solo home run to center in the second inning.
The Hillcats began the comeback in the bottom of the third with one run to cut the deficit to 2-1. Chelsea Spain led off the inning with a solo blast of her own to left to put RSU on the board. They tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on a solo shot from Callie Yellin to the left field corner.
The Hillcats took the lead 4-2 in the fifth scratching across two runs in the frame. Elexis Watson started things as she plated Nicole Price with a RBI single. Jackie Zaferes later scored on a wild pitch for the second run of the inning.
RSU sealed the 6-2 win with two final runs in the sixth inning. Kimberli Presnell drove in Marissa Smith with a RBI single thought the left side of the infield, while Rebecca Bell scored on a fielding error by the left fielder on the same play.
Andrea Morales (26-3) earned her second win of the day after working the final 5.0 innings with 10 strikeouts and only allowing one hit. The Lopers’ Madison Rosenthal (5-10) took the loss.
The Hillcats will now turn their attention to the MIAA Tournament on Wednesday, May 4, where they will likely be the No. 3 seed, but won’t know for sure until the official bracket is released once all competition across the league is complete. The tournament will take place in Edmond, Okla. at Gerry Pinkston Stadium on the campus of Central Oklahoma.
Fans wishing to buy tickets for the tournament will have the option to pre-purchase a $30 All-Tournament Pass by CLICKING HERE and using code RSU2022Softball. This All-Tournament Pass is only valid for games in which RSU is playing, and will no longer be available for purchase after 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3. After this date, fans will need to purchase $10 per game passes, if available, at the stadium on game day.
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