WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Fort Hays State baseball team dropped game two against third-ranked Central Missouri on a blustery Friday afternoon inside Crane Stadium, 5-2. The Tigers fell back to .500 on the year (6-6, 0-2 MIAA) while the Mules (9-2, 2-0) extended their winning streak to six games.
The Tigers had their chances in the game, leaving eight on base after having baserunners in all but two innings. The FHSU pitching staff did well to limit the damage to just five runs, working with runners on base all afternoon. The Mules left 11 stranded after reaching base in every inning.
Ben Ramberg (0-2) took the loss after surrendering four runs on seven hits in five innings of work, striking out two UCM batters.Ryan Ruder came on to pitch a pair of effective innings out of the bullpen, giving up one run on one hit. Cole Schumacher worked around a leadoff double to record a scoreless eighth inning.
The Mules got to Ramberg early before the junior settled in, scoring one run in the first and three in the second inning. UCM added an insurance run in the seventh inning after a leadoff triple.
Fort Hays State finally got on the board in the top of the eighth after UCM went to the pen. Ty Redington reached on an error for the second time before swiping second with one out. Jake Lanferman came through with a two-out double to left center, plating Redington and narrowing the deficit to 5-1.
The Tiger comeback continued in the top of the ninth when Clayton Basgall reached on an infield single to lead things off. Pinch hitter Jason Nicholson drove him in two batters later with a bloop single that fell between three defenders in right center, allowing Basgall to score from first. With the tying run in the on deck circle, UCM closed the game out with a strikeout.
Dayton Pomeroy finished 2-for-4 with a double. Redington also legged out an infield single on a high chopper to short. Basgall reached base three times, going 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and a run scored.
Despite the strong wind, Fort Hays State did not record an error in the game while the Mules made two defensive miscues.
The teams will face off once more Saturday afternoon in the series finale at 2 p.m.