Alva Review-Courier -

ALVA, Okla. – The Rangers closed out their non-conference schedule Tuesday afternoon with a game against Rogers State. The Hillcats opened a 5-0 lead in the opening three innings of the game before closing out an 8-1 victory over the Rangers.

The loss drops the Rangers to 20-27 on the season after the Tuesday loss while Rogers state improves to 24-22 on the season.

Northwestern closed the game with three hits one each from Shaughn Kelly, Blake Hoffman, Gavin Mendoza. Brayden Koenig drove in the Rangers run on a sacrifice fly.

Matthew Potts got the mid-week start throwing 1.2 innings allowing four runs (1ER). He was relieved by Connor Gibson, Zach McEachern, Ethan Swanson, Edwin Colon, and Tate Schuermann.

Rogers State got on the board early Tuesday after a leadoff double to start the game by Barrera he was scored on an RBI groundout by Holguin for a 1-0 lead for the Hillcats through one inning.

The visitors jumped on the board again in the second inning following a one out single leading to the bases being loaded. Soto followed with a single up the middle scoring two more runs as the Hillcats took a 3-0 lead. Holguin continued the inning pushing across the fourth run of the game on an RBI single. After the Rangers went down in order the Hillcats led 4-0 through two innings of play.

Rogers State continued in the third inning as Ceniceros drove in a run on a sacrifice bunt to score Horn for a 5-0 lead in favor of the Hillcats.

In the fourth inning Gibson threw a scoreless frame before Kelly picked up the Rangers first hit of the afternoon with a single to left field but Rogers State kept the game at 5-0 through four innings.

Rogers State led off the fifth inning with a double but Gibson and the Rangers were able to escape with no damage done, keeping the game at 5-0 after the Rangers went down in order.

In the sixth inning the Hillcats pushed their lead to 7-0 after Nelson blasted a two-run home run to left field for a 7-0 lead. Northwestern put two runs on following a Mendoza single and a Yugo Hamakawa walk but they both were left on base.

Colon threw a scoreless seventh inning before a Hoffman double got the Rangers started as he came around to score on a Koenig sacrifice fly to right field for the Rangers first run.

Tate Schuermann came in throwing two innings throwing a scoreless ninth but would allow a solo home run in the top of the eight inning to give the Hillcats an 8-1 lead. That would be the final score as the Rangers went down scoreless in the bottom half of the ninth inning.

Northwestern will close out their regular season in Weatherford for a three game series against the Southwestern State Bulldogs starting today (April 19) and closing out with a Saturday doubleheader.