Fort Hays State overcame six errors to eliminate Washburn from the MIAA Baseball Tournament Championship on Friday evening (May 11) at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan. The Tigers trailed 4-0 early, but rallied back to take the lead in bottom of the fourth and went on to win 11-7. FHSU is now 28-23 overall and will play the loser of the Central Missouri vs. Missouri Western game on Saturday (May 12) at 2:30 pm. The winner of that game will move on to the championship on Sunday.
Steve Johnson Postgame Interview
fhsu post game 2 05-11 interview
Game Highlights
fhsu game 2 05-11 highlights
All four of Washburn’s runs over the first two innings came courtesy of five Tiger errors. Washburn’s first two batters of the game reached by error and both came around to score. In the second inning, the Tigers committed three errors on one play, a sacrifice bunt attempt that started with a fielding error, then a throwing error down the right field line, and then the batter came all the way around to score on a throwing error by the right fielder.
Fort Hays State pushed through the rash of errors to cut the lead in half in the bottom of the second on a two-RBI single by Nash Smth. It would be the start of a five-RBI night for Smith.
Washburn pushed the lead back to three in the top of the third on a solo home run, but JC Ochoa pulled the Tigers back within two in the bottom half of the inning on a RBI groundout.
The Tigers rallied for four runs in the fourth. Ryan Busboom drew a bases-loaded walk to pull the Tigers within one and then Nash Smith scored on a wild pitch to tie the game. Mace Krol put the Tigers in front with a RBI single through the left side and Brandon Hoefler followed with a fielder’s choice RBI.
Washburn scored single runs in the fifth and sixth to tie the game at 7-7, but Smith hit a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the sixth to put the Tigers back in front 8-7.
An error by Washburn to start the bottom of the seventh led to three unearned runs for the Tigers. JC Ochoa scored on a wild pitch and then Smith capped his big offensive night with a two-run homer to right field, giving the Tigers the 11-7 advantage.
Brett Macari picked up the win in 3.1 innings of relief for the Tigers. He stranded a Washburn runner at third in the sixth to keep the score 7-7, getting the final out of the inning, then holding the Ichabods in check the rest of the way. He moved to 5-1 on the season and ran his scoreless innings streak to 15.2 innings. He allowed just two hits and struck out four.
FHSU starter Andy Lewton went 4 2/3 innings, allowing six runs (two earned) in the start. Jesse Hart lasted one inning in relief and allowed one run.
Trent Speaker took the loss in relief for Washburn, moving to 2-5. The starter Tyler Bean allowed seven runs to the Tigers.
– FHSU Sports Information –