FHSU Sports Information
Fort Hays State earned a split with Lindenwood on Saturday in the final two games of a four-game MIAA series at Larks Park in Hays. FHSU won game one 7-6 before falling in game two 14-0. The Tigers won three out of four in the series, posting their first series win in MIAA play this year. FHSU moved to 17-25 overall and 14-22 in the MIAA, while Lindenwood moved to 17-25 overall and 13-19 in the MIAA.
Steve Johnson Postgame Interview
Game 1: Fort Hays State 7, Lindenwood 6
Lindenwood broke a 3-3 tie with three runs in the fifth, but Fort Hays State responded with four in the bottom half of the inning to take a 7-6 lead and relievers Nick Hammeke and Gave Cook shut the door the rest of the way.
The Lions took a 2-0 lead with three straight two-out hits in the first, the last a double that plated two runs off FHSU starter Austin Unrein. The Tigers immediately got the runs back in the bottom of the second as Lindenwood starter Dylan Terrell struggled with his control. The Tigers loaded the bases and then Kevin Czarnecki and Gabe Cook knocked in a run each with singles to make it 2-2.
Fort Hays State took the lead 3-2 in the second on a Jordan Miller RBI single, benefitting from a Lion error earlier in the inning. The Lions tied the game up again with a single run in the fourth on a two-out RBI single.
A walk and four hits in the fifth for Lindenwood produced three runs, going on top 6-3. All of the runs were charged to Unrein, who was relieved by Hammeke with two outs in the inning. Unrein allowed 10 hits, walked two, and struck out three in 4.2 innings.
FHSU had a big inning in the fifth to take the lead back at 7-6, thanks to two Lions miscues. Both errors were on fielder’s choice plays, where the first baseman threw wide of the second base bag on two consecutive batters. The second time, off the bat of Clayton Garland allowed two runs to score. Czarnecki would tie the game with a RBI double and Cooper Langley knocked him in with a single to put the Tigers in front.
Hammeke worked a 1-2-3 sixth and then turned the ball over to Cook to close in the seventh. Cook allowed a single with one out and the runner stole second, but an infield pop out and a ground out to second base sealed the win for FHSU. Hammeke moved to 3-0 on the year, allowing just one hit in 1.1 innings of work with a strikeout. Cook picked up his fourth save of the season.
Game 2: Lindenwood 14, Fort Hays State 0
Starting pitchers Joe Mapes (FHSU) and Zac Pearman (LWU) breezed through two innings before Mapes started to run into trouble in the third. The Lions broke through for one run in the third and then tagged Mapes for four runs in the fourth to take a 5-0 lead.
The Tigers had several well hit balls against Pearman throughout the game, but could never find a way to push runs across. Pearman would wind up going the distance for the Lions to pick up his third win of the season.
Gus Strunk relieved Mapes in the fourth. Mapes was charged with five runs (four earned) on seven hits, while striking out two. Strunk allowed two runs in the fifth, making it 7-0, and then ran into trouble again in the eighth, an inning that saw the Lions score seven runs and take a commanding 14-0 lead. Strunk went 3.2 innings in relief, allowing five runs on four hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Nathan Briar could not record an out in the eighth and allowed three runs, Ty Thomas got one out and allowed one run, and Drew Martineau got the final out.
The Tigers got two aboard in the eighth, but could not score, falling 14-0 in the finale cut an inning short by run rule. Mapes took the loss, going to 2-5 on the year. Pearman allowed nine hits and struck out three in his complete game for Lindenwood.
Fort Hays State got more help from Emporia State on Saturday as the Hornets completed a four-game sweep of Northwest Missouri State. That leaves the Tigers still mathematically alive for the conference tournament heading into the final week of regular season play.
FHSU is 3.0 games back of eighth-place Northeastern State, 2.5 games back of Northwest Missouri State, 2.0 games back of Missouri Southern, and 1.0 games back of Lindenwood. Fort Hays State has to win at least three games, if not all four at Missouri Western next weekend to have a shot at the eighth and final spot in the MIAA Tournament, but it will need help from all the opponents of the teams mentioned above coupled with the wins.