March 6, 2009

Rogers State made history at the Hillcat Complex Thursday in a conference doubleheader against Northwestern Oklahoma State.

The Hillcats became the first team in NAIA history to record back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs when they accomplished the feat in the first inning of the second game of the day. Jenny Johnson started the derby with a three-run shot and Allison Bean, Marie Gaudet and Katie Bointy followed with solo jobs.

Oklahoma Baptist was the last team to hit three consecutive homers in 2008, but no team had ever belted four straight round-trippers before Thursday. The first-inning fireworks propelled the Hillcats to a 10-1 victory and salvaged a split with the Lady Rangers. Northwestern scored four runs in the sixth inning of the opener to claim a 7-6 win.

A three-run homer by Jeana Hancock was the difference in the first game for the Lady Rangers.

Hancock opened up a 7-4 lead for Northwestern with a two-out dinger over the boards in right field in the top of the sixth inning. Gaudet homered in the bottom of the sixth and Megan Wood scored on a fielder’s choice in the seventh to make it a one run game. With two outs and runners at second and third, Bean made a bid for a game-winning homer, but it was hauled in by centerfielder Kati Jo Gabaldon at the wall to end the threat.

RSU came up on the short end of the contest despite outhitting the Lady Rangers, 12-8. Wood went 4-for-4 while Bean and Kendra Olinghouse chipped in with two hits apiece. Johnson homered to start the fourth inning and finished with two RBI.

Johnson also pitched the first six innings and suffered the loss for RSU. Renaea Tarwater (3-2) tossed the first six innings for Northwestern to earn the win while Meagan Lack was credited with a three-out save.

To say the Hillcats came out swinging in the nightcap would be an understatement.

RSU put two runners on to start the bottom of the first inning and Johnson followed with her second homer of the day. Bean ripped a bomb to center on a 1-2 count and Gaudet followed suit three pitches later. Northwestern starter Meagan Lack was lifted in favor of Amy Ramirez and Bointy greeted her by belting her first pitch deep to left-center.

Lillian Nevarez added a leadoff homer in the fourth inning for good measure. The five homers were the most ever in a single game for the RSU program. Johnson has already tied the RSU single-season record with seven homers just 18 games into the season.

Johnson pitched the first four innings to improve to 10-4 on the season. She allowed one run on four hits with two strikeouts. Jackie Kragel recorded a scoreless fifth inning to secure the five-inning run-rule for the Hillcats. Johnson, Bean and Gaudet had two hits apiece for RSU.

Rogers State (11-7, 1-3) earned its first conference win of the season with the doubleheader split. The Hillcats will take the weekend off before traveling to Evangel University (Springfield, Mo.) for a non-conference doubleheader Tuesday. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.