Alva Review-Courier -

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Rogers State softball team's season ended with a 6-3 loss to No. 5 seed Tarleton State on Friday (May 11) in the NCAA South Central Regional at CMU Softball Field. With the score tied at 3-3 in the seventh inning, TSU plated three runs in the inning to take the 6-3 win.

The No. 8-seeded Hillcats (39-20) went 0-2 in their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II South Central Region. The Hillcats suffered a 10-2 loss to No. 1 seed and host Colorado Mesa yesterday to start the regional.

In the seventh inning with the game even at 3-3, the TexAnns put up three runs to gain a 6-3 advantage late in the contest. TSU's Meghann Wrinkle drove in the game-winning run with a single up the middle for a 4-3 score. The TexAnns added two more runs on a double and single to extend the margin to 6-3.

RSU had a chance in the bottom of the seventh inning with the tying run at the plate with one out, but TSU got back-to-back strikeouts to end the opportunity and the game.

The Hillcats had evened the score in the bottom of the sixth inning when Danelle Day knocked out a solo home run to right for a 3-3 deadlock.

Early in the game, RSU held the lead twice. The navy and red went in front 1-0 in the first inning on a solo shot from Allie McFetridge to left center.

After a solo home run from TSU tied the game at 1-1, the Cats went back in front 2-1 with a Day double to score Merissa Smith in the third inning.

TSU's Megan Durante gave the TexAnns their first edge of the game with her second homer of the contest, a two-run home run to left, for a 3-2 score.

Day finished 2-for-3 with two RBI. Tailee Reding was 2-for-3 at the plate, and McFetridge hit 1-for-3 with the one RBI.

Andrea Morales pitched the complete 7.0 innings and allowed four earned runs on 10 hits with one strikeout. She dropped to 15-9 on the season.

Jordan Withrow of TSU went the complete 7.0 innings for the TexAnns, totaling 11 strikeouts and allowing three runs on six hits. She moved to 25-6 this year.

The Hillcats finished the season 39-20 and won the Heartland Conference Tournament championship for the first time in program history. RSU won the most games since 2013 and the season included an 18-game winning streak, the longest streak since 2013. Head coach Andrea Vaughan was named the Heartland Conference Coach of the Year and six Hillcats were All-Heartland selections this season.