FHSU Sports Information
Fort Hays State Softball closed out the 8-State Classic at 5-1 after sweeping Sunday’s (Feb. 16) action. The Tigers started the day by knocking off Minnesota State in five innings, 11-3, before snagging a 5-3 comeback win over Arkansas-Monticello in the afternoon session
FHSU travels to Kansas City, Mo., on Friday (Feb. 21) for a doubleheader with Rockhurst before traveling to St. Paul, Minn., for a five-game tournament hosted by Minnesota-Duluth, Feb. 23-24.
A complete recap of today’s action is below…
FHSU 11, Minnesota Stat 3 (5 innings)
Fort Hays State had 16 hits as it rolled over Minnesota State, 11-3 in five innings in Sunday’s morning contest.
Danie Brinkman had two hits, a walk and a sacrifice fly in four plate appearances, driving in a season-high four RBI. Rilee Keier was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, while Kylie Strand went 4-for-4 with a home run. Krier and Tori Beltz each had two RBI.
In the circle, Kelsey Kimminau (1-1) threw all five innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits while striking out five.
Adame led off the game with a bunt single and moved to second on Krier’s sacrifice bunt. With one out, Brinkmann drove a double to right field to plate Adame and give FHSU a 1-0 lead.
The Tigers extended their lead in the second, starting with Strand’s first collegiate home run from the seventh spot in the lineup. With one out in the inning, Kellsi Olsen doubled to right center and moved to third on Adame’s single to second base. Adame stole second during Krier’s at-bat, and Krier singled to load the bases. Brinkmann’s second hit of the day, a single, followed, driving home Olsen and Adame to put FHSU ahead, 4-0.
Kimminau put up her second straight scoreless inning in the bottom half of the inning, setting up the Tigers for a five-run third inning.
Amanda Vaupel led off the inning with a walk, followed by a single from Strand and a sacrifice bunt from Amy Dunn. With runners on second and third and one out, Olsen was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Adame and Krier followed suit with back-to-back infield singles, each picking up an RBI. Brinkmann’s sacrifice fly to right scored Olsen – pushing Adame to third and Krier to second. In the next at-bat, Tori Beltz picked up two RBI on a single to close out the scoring burst.
MSU got one back in the bottom of the third, scoring one run on two hits, but the Tigers again answered in the next half inning.
Vaupel and Strand again led off the fourth with a walk and a hit, respectively – this time reached third and second on Strand’s double. After Madison Putman (who pinch hit for Amy Dunn) walked, Jordan Jones came in to pinch hit for Olsen. Jones picked up her first RBI of the season on a single to right, scoring Vaupel, though Strand was called out at home trying to score. Later in the inning, Krier’s single to left plated Putman for the Tigers’ final run of the day.
The Mavericks scored two in the final half inning, but it wasn’t enough as the Tigers won by the eight-run run-rule.
FHSU 5, Arkansas-Monticello 3
Bianca Adame was 3-for-4 to lead the Tigers, while Krier finished 2-for-4 with an RBI.
FHSU used a three-person approach from the circle for Game 2, as J0rdan Jones earned the start, throwing 3.0 innings while allowing two runs on one hit. Paxton Duran (3-0) entered in the fourth, throwing two complete innings and giving up just one run to earn the win. Katlyn Kern earned her first save of the season by closing out the final two innings in scoreless fashion, striking out two with three hits allowed.
After a scoreless first inning, FHSU got things going offensively in the second as Beltz led off with a single to center field. After Koehler pinch ran for Beltz, Dobson moved her to second on a sacrifice bunt and Koehler reached third as Vaupel reached on an error. Strand picked up the RBI in her at-bat, moving Koehler home on a fielder’s choice.
UAM took the lead in the fourth, scoring two runs on just one hit, taking advantage of a hit batter and a wild pitch. In the fifth, UAM extended that lead to two, using a two-out triple to drive home a run and push the score to 3-1.
The Tigers, however, used five hits in the fifth to take back the lead for good. Adame led off the inning with her first triple of the season and came home on Krier’s RBI single to center. Brinkmann’s double in the next at-bat pushed Krier home. Later in the inning, Dobson reached on a fielder’s choice and Vaupel singled to right, putting runners at first and second with two down. Strand’s single loaded the bases, and after Callie Wright reached on an error, Dobson and Vaupel came home on the throw.