HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State had a good start to the week in conference play on Wednesday (Apr. 4) with a doubleheader sweep of Emporia State at home. The Tigers rallied for a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to win the first game 2-1 before hanging on for a 4-3 win in the nightcap. FHSU improved to 11-29 overall, 7-11 in the MIAA, while ESU dropped to 14-26 overall, 5-11 in the MIAA.

Game 1: Fort Hays State 2, Emporia State 1
Emporia State pitcher Montana Mesler kept the Tigers off the scoreboard for six innings until the Tigers finally broke through with a seventh-inning rally. Fort Hays State pitcher Sierra Rodriguez did a good job matching Mesler, with her only run allowed in the sixth inning.

The teams were scoreless through five innings, both with just two hits to that point. A breakdown in communication by the Tigers led to the game’s first run in the top of the sixth when Kenzie Garvin of ESU popped a ball up on the infield. With a strong crosswind, the ball drifted between shortstop and third base, but neither Tiger fielder went for the ball and it fell safely. With all infielders out of position, Garvin continued on to second base for a double. McKenna Davis followed with a single and moved up on a throw to put runners at second and third and no outs.

Candace Bollig was able to thwart one sacrifice bunt attempt, throwing the batter out at first without allowing baserunners to advance. However, Caitlin VanVleck followed with a well-placed squeeze bunt toward third base that Bollig overran on her fielding attempt. The runner was already well down the line when she tried to field the ball, so there may have been no chance to get the runner at the plate. Rodriguez buckled down to get a pop up on the infield and a swinging strikeout to strand the bases loaded.

The Tigers put together a game-winning rally in their final at bat. Bailey Boxberger led off the seventh inning with a walk, then Bailey Kennedy followed with a single to right center field. With Jeni Mohr running for Boxberger, Sara Breckbill put down a sacrifice bunt, but the Hornets chose to go for the force play at third. Mohr beat out the throw by an eyelash to create a bases loaded situation with no outs.

Veronica Knittig wasted no time in getting home the tying run with an RBI single to left center field. That left the bases loaded for Tess Gray, who grounded into a fielder’s choice as the Hornet first baseman cut down the potential game-winning run at home plate. However, Mesler struggled with her command immediately after as Lily Sale drew a walk to give the Tigers a 2-1 win in walk-off fashion.

Rodriguez finished with five hits and a walk allowed to go with four strikeouts. She picked up her sixth win of the season in the circle. Mesler also had a complete game in 6.1 innings of work. She allowed the two runs on four hits and three walks.

Game 2: Fort Hays State 4, Emporia State 3
Grace Philop was the difference for the Tigers in game two, putting the Tigers ahead twice with her 3-for-4 performance at the plate and three RBI. She picked up all of her RBIs in clutch, two-out situations.

Emporia State opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first, but Fort Hays State matched it with a run in the bottom half of the inning. Three singles loaded the bases before Bailey Boxberger drew a walk to force in a run.

In the second inning, Philop pulled a ball into right field for a single that scored runners from second and third, putting the Tigers up 3-1. After Emporia State tied the game with a two-out, two-RBI single in the fourth, the Philop answered in the bottom half of the inning with a screaming grounder down the left field line that glanced the third base bag on the way by and plated what turned into the game-winning run.

Hailey Chapman settled in over the final three innings for a complete game win. Just two of her 10 hits allowed occurred during the final three innings. She allowed a walk and struck out three, picking up her fourth win of the season.

Destiny Ojigoh took the loss for Emporia State, allowing all four runs in a complete game effort. She allowed 11 hits and three walks to the Tigers, moving to 4-6 on the season.

HAYS, Kan. – Despite trailing by three with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the Fort Hays State baseball team pulled out its second-consecutive victory Wednesday afternoon at Larks Park, defeating Washburn 8-7 on a walk-off walk to Clayton Basgall. The Tigers sent 10 men to the plate in the final inning, scoring five runs to come away victorious.

The Tigers are now 13-21 on the year and 5-16 in MIAA play, while the Ichabods dip to 10-22 this season and 4-17 in conference action.

Steve Johnson Postgame Interview

Game Highlights

Fort Hays State used 10 hits and took advantage of four Ichabod errors to score its eight runs, half of which were unearned. WU countered with seven runs on 11 hits and a pair of Tiger defensive miscues.

The Tigers went into their final at bat trailing 7-3, having not scored since the fourth inning. That all changed when a pitch hit Basgall to spark the big frame. Alex Weiss sent a potential double play ball to the mound in the next at bat, but the Ichabod pitcher mishandled the grounder and the only play was at first. Dayton Pomeroy then pulled a single to right to put runners on the corners before Cody Starkel lifted a sacrifice fly to deep center, putting the Tigers within three but giving them two outs in the inning.

Ryan Grasser singled to right center in the following at bat, forcing the Ichabods to bring in their closer, Zach Linquist. The righty walked Jordan Wilkerson to load the bases before Marcus Altman came through with a huge base hit, dropping a two-RBI single into left center. With the Tigers now down only one, Bryce Baumwart got the call as a pinch hitter. The junior reached base after the second baseman booted a potential game-ending ground ball, allowing Wilkerson to score and tie things up at seven.

A walk to Addison Kaasch brought Basgall back to the plate with the score tied, the bases loaded and two men out. Basgall fell behind 0-2 before battling back to create an epic 13-pitch at bat. After fighting off six-straight pitches, the senior watched ball four sail out of the strike zone to give the Tigers their first walk-off win of the season.

A strong relief outing from Ryan Ruder (4-4) put the Tigers in position to come from behind and win. The sophomore tossed 5.1 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just four hits while striking out a pair. He faced four or fewer batters in every inning he pitched.

Ben Ramberg got the start for the Tigers, giving up a pair of extra-base hits to the first two batters before settling down to retire nine of the next 11 batters he faced. The Ichabods chased the Topeka native in the fourth after three hits and a walk, giving Ramberg a final line of 3.2 innings pitched, seven runs on seven hits and three strikeouts.

After watching the Ichabods open the game with a double, Kaasch did the same in the bottom of the first, drilling a 1-1 pitch over the center fielder’s head. The junior moved to third on a sacrifice bunt before sprinting home when Weiss sent a sharp grounder to second. The Ichabod defender chose to come home with his throw, but Kaasch slid in safely just before the tag was applied.

Fort Hays State trailed 7-1 in the bottom of the fourth before Wilkerson started another two-out rally with a triple to deep center field. The Woodbury, Minn. native came in to score when Altman reached on an error. Jason Nicholson reached on a second-straight error by the shortstop in the following plate appearance before Kaasch singled to load the bases. Basgall picked up his first RBI of the day when he was hit by a pitch, putting the Tigers within 7-3 after four innings.

Basgall finished the afternoon with two RBI and a run after going 1-for-2 with a walk and two HBP. Kaasch, Altman and Grasser all collected two hits in the win, with Altman adding two RBI and Wilkerson scoring twice.

The Tigers will look to win three-straight games for the first time since the first three games of the season Thursday (April 5) when FHSU hosts William Jewell at noon from Larks Park.