The Fort Hays State softball team, facing a top-25 opponent for the second straight day, dropped a pair of games against No. 25 Emporia State on Saturday afternoon (March 31) in Emporia, Kan. The Tigers, who fell by scores of 2-1 and 6-4, are now 20-12 (7-5 MIAA) on the year.
Game 1: No. 25 Emporia State 2, Fort Hays State 1
Reigning MIAA Pitcher of the Week Maddie Holub threw well in the first game, but for the second straight day the other Tigers’ opponent scored all their runs against her in one inning.
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third after an RBI double from Callie Wright scored Yasnaya Susoeff , but they were limited to just the one run in the game.
Holub was rolling early, allowing just one hit to the Lady Hornets in the game’s first four innings. However, ESU got a leadoff home run in the fifth and got three more hits and another run to go on top 2-1. After the Lady Hornets loaded the bases, FHSU ended the inning with a double play when right fielder Breanna Beckerman gunned down an ESU runner at the plate.
Fort Hays State mounted a final rally in the top of the seventh inning, getting singles from Amanda Vaupel and Christine Moses, but they were unable to push either across and fell 2-1.
Holub took the loss after allowing two runs on five hits. She also struck out nine batters but has her record fall to 11-7.
Game 2: No. 25 Emporia State 6, Fort Hays State 4
Fort Hays State committed six errors and allowed all six ESU runs, with only two being earned, in the game’s opening two innings to put themselves in a hole in game two. Kaitlyn Shattleroe started the game, but was removed in the first inning after allowing three runs without recording an out.
Abby Morrison relieved Shattleroe and got out of the first inning, but the Lady Hornets added three more runs in the second inning after FHSU committed two more errors.
The Tigers did fight back, scoring two runs in the top of the third on an RBI double from Holub. Madison Putman doubled to lead off the inning and Taylor Nelson followed that with a single. Both would come around to score on Holub’s hit and cut the ESU lead to 6-2.
FHSU got three hits in the top of the sixth inning and were aided by two Lady Hornet errors as they plated two more runs. Adriana Wortley walked to open the inning and Vaupel followed with a single before advancing to second on an ESU error. Chelsey Rottinghaus singled to score Wortley and Vaupel scored on another Lady Hornet error before Emporia State turned a double play to end the FHSU rally with runners on first and third.
Shattleroe took the loss and falls to 7-2 on the season.
Fort Hays State will be back at home next weekend, facing Central Oklahoma on Friday (April 6) and Northeastern State on Saturday (April 7) in non-conference doubleheaders.
– FHSU Sports Information –