FORT SMITH, Ark. – The Rogers State baseball team got a late home run from Andrew Vanisi but could not complete the comeback falling 5-3 at UA Fort Smith Saturday afternoon at Crowder Field.
 
The Hillcats struck first in the series finale behind the bat of designated hitter, Austin Culwell, in the top of the third. The junior delivered an RBI groundout to plate Garrett Hall from third giving RSU the early lead. Hall started the inning with a single to right and moved to second on a walk to Alex Cochran. Both runners advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch leading to Culwell's RBI.
 
UAFS took a 3-1 lead behind a five-hit bottom of the third. One swing of the bat changed the momentum as the Lions' Kasey Cooper sent a two-out pitch from Hillcat starter Matthew Shepard over the fence in left for a three-run home run.
 
RSU threatened to close the gap right away in the fourth loading the bases on a single by Trae BoBo and walks from Zack Ashford and Chase Knott. Hall stepped up but grounded into a double play to end the inning as UAFS escaped the jam.
 
The Lions added to their lead in the sixth when Brennan Rogers scored on a wild pitch after reaching on a single with two outs for a 4-1 advantage.
 
After the Hillcats stranded two more runners in the seventh, Vanisi cut into the deficit sending a two-run blast over the wall in left in the top of the eighth. Ryan Hendricks reached base on a single after entering as a pinch hitter scoring on the home run as RSU moved within one, 4-3.
 
UAFS got an insurance run in the eighth scoring on another wild pitch with two outs, closing the weekend sweep of the Hillcats, 5-3.
 
Shepard (2-3) was tagged with the loss on the mound for RSU allowing four runs on nine hits spanning six innings while Hasten Freeman (2-1) got the win for the Lions allowing two hits and one run in 6.1 innings of work. Wayde Roth earned his third save pitching the final 1.2 innings.
 
Rogers State (9-17, 2-10 HC) returns to action Tuesday, March 31 playing host to Northwestern Oklahoma State for a non-conference doubleheader at the Diamond Sports Complex. Don't miss a single pitch by catching all the action on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.