LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The Fort Hays State baseball team attempted another late comeback against New Mexico Highlands, but the rally came up short on Saturday (Feb. 17), losing 12-8 on the road. The Tigers dip to 6-3 on the year, while the Cowboys are now 3-6 overall. The teams will face off in the rubber game of the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT (noon MT).
The Tigers scored four runs in the final inning after heading into the ninth behind 12-4, but the rally was cut short.
Fort Hays State pushed across eight runs on 12 hits and two Cowboy errors, while the home team scraped together 12 runs on 14 hits and five Tiger defensive miscues.
The Tigers jumped in front early when Jordan Wilkerson crushed his third home run of the season in the second inning before NMHU struck for four runs on three errors in the home half of the third.
Four base knocks in the fourth inning helped FHSU tie the score, with Dayton Pomeroy leading off with a single through the left side. Wilkerson clubbed a double to left center two batters later, putting a pair in scoring position for Ryan Grasser. The team leader in doubles came through with another two-bagger, driving in two with a drive to right center. Grasser came around to score two batters later when Dawson Sramek sent a single to center, knotting things up at 4-4.
The Cowboys went back in front with two runs in the fifth before tacking on two more in the seventh and four in the eighth.
A one-out walk to pinch hitter Jason Nicholson kick-started the Tiger rally in the ninth. Addison Kaasch doubled down the line in left in the next at bat, his third hit of the afternoon. After an RBI groundout from Clayton Basgall, Alex Weiss kept things rolling with an RBI single to center. Pomeroy followed with a two-run home run, his third long ball of the season, before a strikeout ended the comeback effort.
Kaasch reached base four times, collecting three hits while working one walk. Pomeroy finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Ryan Ruder (1-1) took the loss after allowing six runs (two earned) on 10 hits over six innings of work. The sophomore struck out two batters on the afternoon.