Season ends for MSSU baseball with close loss to Hillcats
CLAREMORE, Okla. — Missouri Southern State University surrendered three runs in the first two innings and had to try to fight back the remainder of Saturday’s elimination game in the NCAA Division II Central Region tournament against Rogers State University at RCB Bank Sports Complex in Claremore. The Hillcats used the strong winds to their advantage as pitchers were able to get many long flyouts on balls that were hit hard but were cut down by the wind.
MSSU’s Will Doherty managed to hit a ball over the left field fence and over the scoreboard, but that was the only run the team got in a 3-1 loss. “We had a ton of balls I felt like were well hit. Give Rogers State credit for knowing how to play at their field and taking advantage of it,” MSSU head coach Bryce Darnell said.
“I think (Brayden) Luikart would have had two home runs. I think (Jacob) Filip would have had a home run. I think the last ball of the game probably would have been a home run in most parks in our league.
But that’s the way it goes. ” “That’s usually the story when you play here, especially this time of year when it’s warm out and that wind’s crawling over that right field wall,” rogers State head coach Chris Klimas said. “Missouri Southern hit some balls that were absolutely melted into the wind that turned the outfielders but didn’t really threaten outside of the one Doherty hit over the scoreboard.
” Klimas added that scoring early is important at his field because it’s more difficult to work from behind when the wind is blowing like it was Saturday. In the bottom of the ninth, with two outs, MSSU senior second baseman Jason Lazo stepped into the left-handed batter’s box. All game long, left-handed hitters were victim of wind gusts of up to 29 mph in Claremore.
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