The Fort Hays State baseball teamed earns a Saturday split with Southwest Baptist, taking three of the four games in the weekend series in Bolivar, Mo. The Tigers drop the first game 6-3, but bounce back to win the second contest 11-4. Fort Hays State moves to 22-19 overall and 19-16 in the MIAA.
Game 1: Southwest Baptist 6, Fort Hays State 3
The Tigers fell in a hole early that they could not recover from as SBU scored five runs on five hits in the first to take a 5-0 lead. That would be enough offense for the Bearcats in the seven-inning affair.
SBU scored one in the third to make it 6-0 before FHSU finally broke through with a pair of runs in the fourth on an RBI triple by Ryan Busboom followed by an RBI single by Mace Krol. FHSU added its final run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly RBI from Sheldon Howell.
Jesse Hart took the loss for the Tigers, lasting 4 1/3 innings in his start. All six runs he allowed were earned, allowing nine hits and two walks with no strikeouts. It was the first loss of the year for Hart, now at 3-1.
Dustin Caplette picked up the win for SBU, allowing just three hits in five innings of work. Both runs he allowed were earned. He walked three and struck out three.
Game 2: Fort Hays State 11, Southwest Baptist 4
Fort Hays State took a 2-0 lead in the third inning with an RBI single from Sheldon Howell and a sacrifice fly RBI by JC Ochoa. The Tigers would hold the lead the remainder of the game, even though they did not score again till the seventh inning when they errupted for five runs.
Andy Lewton gave the Tigers a solid starting effort, lasting 6 innings. He held the Bearcats scoreless through four innings on just one hit before surrendering his first run in the fifth on an RBI single. He allowed a walk and RBI double in the seventh before leaving the game with a 7-2 advantage. Lewton finished with four hits allowed, four walks, and six strikeouts.
Kyle Leroy pitched 3 innings of relief to grab his second save of the season. He allowed two runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Both runs allowed came in the ninth after the Tigers scored four more times in the eighth to push their lead to 11-2.
Nash Smith triggered the rally in the seventh with a two-run home run. The Tigers loaded the bases after that, then Mace Krol and Brandon Hoefler had back-to-back RBI singles. Brett Macari was hit by a pitch to generate the last run of the inning.
FHSU struck for four more in the eighth with a pair of two-RBI singles from Ryan Busboom and Hoefler.
Fort Hays State finishes the regular season with seven home games beginning Tuesday against Bethany College. they will host Wayne State Saturday and Sunday then close out the season with a four-game conference series with second-place Missouri Western the following weekend.
– FHSU Sports Information –