The Fort Hays State Tiger softball team advanced to the MIAA Tournament Championship Game Saturday with wins over Missouri Western and Central Oklahoma.
Game 1: FHSU 3, Missouri Western 0
In the first game of the day, two of the top pitchers in the MIAA dueled to a scoreless tie into the top-half of the seventh inning before FHSU’s Amanda Vaupel hit a three-run home run propelling the Tigers to a 3-0 win.
The Fort Hays bats were held at bay through six innings by Griffons’ starter Jackie Bishop, she did not allow a hit until Courtney Dobson singled to lead off the seventh. Missouri Western intentionally walked Maddie Holub and Danie Brinkmann reached on a fielder choice trying to move Dobson to third. Amanda Vaupel followed with her sixth homerun of the season putting FHSU up 3-0. Tigers’ starter Maddie Holub then retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh giving FHSU the 3-0 win.
Holub allowed one hit in both the first and second innings, stuck out 10 and retired 16 of the final 17 to earn her 26th win of the season.
With the win the Tigers advanced to the Championship semi-finals against No. 1 seed and Regular Season Champion Central Oklahoma.
Game 2: FHSU 5, Missouri Western 0
In game two Tiger starter Maddie Holub had to work around a pair of hit batters in the first and a walk in the second on the way to her sixth no-hitter of the year.
Holub retired 17 straight hitters, striking out five and improved to 27-1 on the season.
FHSU’s Bianca Adame led off the third inning with a single, stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. Courtney Dobson walked and Central Oklahoma intentionally walked Maddie Holub to load the bases for Danie Brinkmann who was hit by a pitch and drove in the first run of the game. Amanda Vaupel followed that with a two-run single giving Fort Hays a 3-0 lead.
The Tigers added two more runs in the sixth on Tori Beltz’s eighth homerun of the season putting FHSU up 5-0 and they would go on to win by that score.
The win moves the Tigers to 44-9 and they will take on the winner of Emporia State versus Central Oklahoma Sunday at 12:00p.m. for the MIAA Championship.