HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State snapped its nine-game losing streak by sweeping a doubleheader with Wayne State (Neb.) on Wednesday (Feb. 28) at Tiger Stadium. FHSU won both games in come-from-behind fashion by scores of 6-4 and 10-5, moving to 4-14 overall on the season. Wayne State dropped to 1-4.
Fort Hays State 6, Wayne State 4
Wayne State scored three runs in the top of the second to take an early 3-0 lead, but the Tigers rallied right back in the bottom half of the inning to take a 4-3 lead. A pair of runners reached before Terran Caldwell drove home two with a single up the middle. Veronica Knittig also singled up the middle to bring in Caldwell from second to tie the game. Bailey Boxberger knocked in Knittig two batters later on a single through the left side.
The Wildcats tied the game with a run in the top of the third, benefitting from a leadoff triple, but the Tigers took the lead back with a pair of runs in the fourth. Sara Breckbill brought home both runs with a double to left field.
Starting pitcher Hailey Chapman went four innings before turning the ball over to Sierra Rodriguez, who went three innings to earn her first save of the season. Rodriguez allowed only two hits and struck out one. Chapman picked up her first win of the season, allowing four runs on eight hits with three strikeouts.
Fort Hays State 10, Wayne State 5
Wayne State took an early 2-0 lead with a pair of run in the first, but the Tigers rallied back with a pair in the second to knot the score. Sierra Rodriguez had a two-RBI single to get the score evened.
Wayne State went back on top 4-2 with single runs in the third and fourth, but the Tigers turned the game in their favor with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Run-scoring singles from Rodriguez and Sydney Harsh tied the game and later, Veronica Knittig had an RBI single and Candace Bollig had a sacrifice fly RBI to put the Tigers on top.
Rodriguez, who started the game in the pitching circle for FHSU, ran out of gas in the fifth, allowing back-to-back hits that plated Wayne State’s fifth run. Roles reversed from game one and Chapman had Rodriguez’s back this time, mowing through the Wildcats over the final three innings. Chapman stranded a runner at second by striking out three consecutive hitters on 10 pitches (all strikes). Chapman went on to strike out seven, getting all three outs in the seventh in that fashion as well. She allowed only two hits. Rodriguez allowed five runs on nine hits with two walks and two strikeouts over the first four innings, but it was enough to earn the win and move to 3-4 on the year.
The Tigers sealed the win with a four-run sixth inning, all on unearned runs. Two errors in the inning benefitted the Tigers. Sara Breckbill had an RBI single and Chapman had a two-RBI double. For the day, Chapman and Rodriguez both earned a win and a save, and combined for five RBI at the plate in game two. Sarah Kay led the team with three hits in the second contest.
Riley Vanderveen took the loss for Wayne State, allowing 10 runs (six earned) on 13 hits with two walks.
Fort Hays State is slated to begin MIAA play on March 9 when it travels to Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Okla.