CLAREMORE, OK – University of Mary righthander
Lucas Burgum was masterful on the mound and All-American
Isaac Pegors cracked a home run before a late surge by Rogers State University lifted the Hillcats to a 6-5 walk-off win over the visiting Marauders in the season opener for both teams.
Burgum struck out eight hitters in five innings of scoreless work. He allowed just three hits and one walk as he dominated the Hilltoppers lineup. He faced just 17 batters in the five innings, just two more than the minimum.
The first two batters of the game reached against Burgum but a strikeout and a double play grounder immediately followed to eliminate the scoring threat. The Mandan, ND, native allowed just two baserunners over the next four innings.
The only other scoring threat for the Hilltoppers against Burgum came in the third inning. After the leadoff batter doubled and took third on a wild pitch, Burgum stranded the runner by striking out the next three hitters, two swinging and one looking.
UMary grabbed the lead in the second inning when
Kieran Gaffney, who led off with a single, scored as
Luke Rhee was caught in a rundown before first and second base on an attempted steal. The Marauders doubled their lead in the fourth as Gaffney singled home
Marcus Butts, who led off the inning with a double.
Pegors gave the Marauders a jolt in the fifth inning with a 3-run blast to right center to score
Mikey Ramirez and
Hank Griffin, who had led off the inning with back-to-backs singles. Pegors set UMary records last season with 18 home runs and 65 RBIs.
The tide started flowing against the Marauders in the sixth inning on a 3-run home run by Sammy Harris. Trevor Spainhoward hit a solo home run in the seventh inning for the Hillcats, who then tied the game 5-5 when a run scored when the Marauders turned their second double play of the game. A leadoff double in the bottom of the ninth and a failed pickoff throw led to a Spainhoward sacrifice fly for a walkoff win by Rogers State.
Gaffney finished the day 2-for-4 with an RBI, a run scored and a steal. Butts was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Griffin also posted a pair of hits, including a 2-bagger, and scored a run.
Harris and Spainhower both had a pair of hits for RSU.
The Marauders and the Hillcats continue their 4-game opening weekend series with a doubleheader on Saturday, February 7. First pitch is set for 1 pm.
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