Claremore, Okla. -Newman traveled to Oklahoma to play Rogers State in another MIAA contest. In the first out of three game series, the Hillcats won 5-4 with a late comeback.
How It Happened:
Trent Trammell got the first hit of the game for the Jets in the third at bat of the first inning. Then, Micah Bobuszewski batted in Trammell's leading run with a double to center field. In the bottom of the first, starter
Gio De Graauw and the Jets defense held the Hillcats down to no hits or runs. After that,
Jack Kiser was the only Jet able to get on base with a hit to left center that didn't lead to anything. Following that, De Graauw retired two batters, one swinging and one looking, and the defense caught a runner stealing to retire the side. The only remarkable thing for the Jets in the top of the third was a hit by the pitch to Trammell. In the bottom of the third, the Jets didn't allow any hits or runs. The top of the fourth saw Kiser getting another hit, this time to right field. But, a good RSU defensive effort denied him from scoring. Then, in the bottom of the fourth, De Graauw struck out three of the five batters he faced, two of them looking and one swinging.
Hunter Brown and
Nick Chasey recorded singles to left field in the first three at bats of the fifth inning. An error and a second double of the game for Kobuszewski scored both runners to give Newman a 3-0 lead. Then, De Graauw got his fifth strikeout with the first batter he faced in the bottom of the fifth. The Jets caught two fly balls to end the inning. The sixth inning went hitless and scoreless for both teams, with De Graauw getting his sixth strikeout to close out the inning. Trammell got hit by a pitch in the top of the seventh, with two outs already recorded, to get on base. Then, Kobuszewski's single,
Pierson Gunnell's walk, and
Blake Mitchell's hit by pitch, scored Trammell. The half inning ended with the Jets leading 4-0. The Hillcats got on the scoreboard with a homerun by their lead off batter in the bottom of the seventh that forced the Jets to sub in
Cole Landgraf on the mound. A second home run saw the Jets making a second pitching change in the same inning, with
Kellen Curtis entering the game. A third run allowed by the Jets triggered a third pitching change, with
Colby Wilson entering the field to finally close the inning. With a 4-3 score in the top of the eighth,
Eli Wohl hit a triple to center field that the Jets were unable to transform into a run. Wilson struck out a batter and helped the defense record the other two outs to head to the top of the ninth still ahead. Newman got three runners on base off of a hit by the pitcher and two earned runs, but the Hillcats denied them the chance to score a run. A hit, a walk and a hit by the Jets pitcher loaded the bases for RSU in the bottom of the ninth. Then, another hit by the pitcher scored the tying run for the Hillcats.
Lance Elsen entered the game to try to send it to extra innings, but a single hit to center field ended the game with a 4-5 score in favor of Rogers State.
Player Notes:
-Kobuszewski went 3-5 with two doubles and 2 RBIs.
-Wohl had a triple.
-Kiser hit 2-3.
-De Graauw had 7 strikeouts in 6 innings pitched and only allowed 2 hits and a run.
Up Next:
The Jets will play Game 2 tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 2:00 pm.
