The Baker University baseball team lost its first series of the season in a 4-0 sweep by the Rogers State University Hillcats on Saturday and Sunday in Claremore, Okla.

The season opener started fast for Baker’s offense, scoring three runs in the first two innings. But Rogers State had an offensive surge, tying the game at 3-3 in the third inning. From there, Baker failed to score again, while the Hillcats scored one run in both the fifth and sixth innings. The Wildcats managed only four hits and made three errors in the 5-3 loss. Sophomore Ethan Jacks had the team’s only RBI.

Game two was less competitive, as the Hillcats ran away with a 12-2 victory to complete the first-day sweep. Rogers State had 15 hits during the game and scored eight runs in the third inning. Seniors Josh Zach and Brett Lechien had multiple hits for the Wildcats. Lechien and Jacks each recorded an RBI for BU.

The second day featured two nail-biters with one ending as a 1-0 shutout and another that took a game-ending error to give the Hillcats a 7-6 walk-off win.

During the final game of the series, Rogers State went ahead 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning. The Wildcats chipped away at the lead, scoring once in the top of the third, but the Hillcats brought the lead back to three with a run of their own in the same inning. The Wildcats scored five runs in the next two innings to take a 6-4 lead.

Zach hit a two-RBI single as part of the Wildcats’ four-run fifth inning. Zach later stole home, and sophomore Cort Brennan drove in a run of his own to cap off the inning. That is how the score remained until the bottom of the seventh. The Hillcats capitalized off a bases-loaded walk, a wild pitch and a fielding error for a three-run seventh inning.

The Wildcats’ next series will be on Friday and Saturday at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas. Friday’s doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., and Saturday’s at noon and 2 p.m.