Fort Hays State split with Central Oklahoma in an MIAA doubleheader in Edmond, Okla. on Sunday. Fort Hays State took game one 7-5, but fell in game two 8-5. FHSU is now 6-5 overall and 3-4 in the MIAA. The teams play the final game of the three-game series on Monday at 1 pm. Full stats from the games are unavailable at this time.
Game 1: Fort Hays State 7, Central Oklahoma 5
Fort Hays State took advantage of control issues from UCO starter Jamie McClure in the first inning as Nathan Miller drew a bases loaded walk, the third of the inning for the Tigers, and Kelton Rule added a sacrifice fly RBI to give FHSU the early 2-0 lead.
FHSU extended its lead to 4-0 in the second inning as Horace Johnson knocked in a run and the Tigers got the other via a Broncho error.
The Bronchos cut the Tiger lead in half with single runs in the second and third innings, but FHSU pushed its advantage to 5-2 in the fourth on a RBI single by Jay Sanders. But, the Bronchos scored a single run off FHSU starter Jesse Hart for the third straight inning to make it 5-3 after four innings.
In the sixth, the Bronchos scored once more to put the pressure on, but Kyle Leroy entered out of the bullpen to shut the door on the Broncho rally. He stranded a runner at third by getting a strikeout and groundout to end the inning, preserving the win for Hart.
The Tiger offense gave Leroy insurance in the seventh as Chris Santoscoy tripled home Sam Thornton and Clayton Garland, who had back-to-back singles in front of him.
Leroy allowed just one run in the seventh, working around a bit of trouble after allowing a leadoff triple. He got his third strikeout to end the game, giving him his second save of the season. Hart moved to 2-0 on the season with the win, going 5.0 innings with five hits and four walks allowed, while striking out seven.
Game 2: Central Oklahoma 8, Fort Hays State 5
Central Oklahoma took a 2-0 advantage after one inning, but the Tigers scored four times in the second to take the lead. Sam Thornton drove home two with a single, Chris Santoscoy added another RBI single, and Ryan Busboom drew a bases loaded walk.
The Bronchos made the FHSU lead short lived as they tacked on two more in the bottom of the second to tie the game. The Bronchos added single runs in the fourth and sixth to move out to a 6-4 lead.
Clayton Garland trimmed the lead to 6-5 in the eighth with a RBI single, but Jake Tuck closed the door on the Tigers in relief for the Bronchos, striking out Kelton Rule to end a potential late rally.
UCO added a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth for insurance and Tuck worked a 1-2-3 ninth to pick up the save for UCO. It preserved the win for Edgar Lopez, who went 7.0 innings with eight strikeouts.
Alex Ellison took the loss in relief for the Tigers, going 5.0 innings. He allowed three runs and struck out two, moving to 1-2 on the season. Starter Robert VanCour lasted just 1.2 innings for the Tigers, allowing four runs. Logan Downing got the final out of the second inning out of the pen and Michael Edlefson relieved Ellison in the eighth and was charged with two runs.
– FHSU Sports Information –