EMPORIA, Kan. – No. 19 Emporia State scored a run in the bottom of the ninth inning to hold off a Fort Hays State rally and beat the Tigers 5-4 Saturday afternoon at Glennen Field in the Trusler Sports Complex. The Tigers (9-13, 3-8 MIAA) have lost six straight while the Hornets (17-5, 9-2) win their third straight.

Tiger reliever Kyle Vogt gave up a leadoff double followed by a bunt single to open the bottom of the ninth. Wade Hanna drove in the game-winner with a one-out single to left. Hanna also hit a 2-run homer in the first to give the Hornets the early lead.

Vogt takes the loss, allowing one run on three hits in 1 1/3 innings. Starter Logan Herd gave up four runs on four hits over 6 1/3 innings. Herd walked six and struck out two.

The Hornets led 3-0 after two innings, but the  rallied with a run in the third then scored single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to tie the game 4-4.

FHSU lost despite outhitting ESU 14-8. Alex Weiss had four hits while Caleb Cherryholmes, Ty Redington and Austin Unrein all had two.

Cherryholmes, Weiss and Joe Mapes all had RBI singles for the Tigers who look to salvage the final game of the series Sunday afternoon.

FHSU Athletics

EMPORIA, Kan. – Fort Hays State fell in the series opener at No. 19 ranked Emporia State on Friday evening by a score of 6-2. The Tigers fell behind 5-0 before finally scratching a pair of runs across in the eighth, but Emporia State closed the door in the ninth. FHSU moved to 9-12 overall, 3-7 in the MIAA, while ESU improved to 16-5 overall and 8-2 in the MIAA.

Fort Hays State was held scoreless by ESU starter Tyler Stubblefield through seven innings until finally getting to him in the eighth. The Tigers loaded the bases and then Caleb Cherryholmes drove the first run home on a fielder’s choice before Austin Unrein singled in another run. Jacob Tetuan entered in relief to get the final out of the eighth as the Tigers had the tying run at the plate. A groundout ended the threat.

Garrett Brummett took the mound in the ninth and worked a 1-2-3 inning against the Tigers to preserve the win for Stubblefield. Stubblefield went 7.2 innings in his start, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts. D.J. Carr took the loss, going 4 2/3 innings in his start. Two of the four runs he allowed were earned on five hits and four walks, while he struck out two. Casey Sedbrook pitched 2/3 innings of relief, allowing a run, then Jackson Rolfs pitched 2 2/3 innings and allowed a run, but struck out two.

Unrein and Alex King each had two hits in the contest, while Nick Hammeke and Clayton Basgall scored the Tiger runs.

The Tigers and Hornets return to action in Emporia Saturday at 1 pm.

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State Softball has made an adjustment to its schedule due to the forecasted weather for Friday in the Hays area. FHSU will still play doubleheaders against Lindenwood and Lincoln, but the games are now scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

The doubleheader with Lindenwood remains the same, a 1 pm start on Saturday at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers were originally scheduled to play Lincoln on Friday, but that doubleheader has now moved to Sunday, also a 1 pm start.

FHSU Athletics

GOLDEN, Colo. – Fort Hays State dropped a pair of games at Colorado Mines on Wednesday, each by one run. The Orediggers got a walk-off single to win game one 1-0, then rallied past the Tigers in the middle of game two for a 5-4 win. FHSU moved to 9-16 overall on the season, while the Orediggers improved to 9-14 overall.

Game 1: Colorado Mines 1, Fort Hays State 0
An error to begin the bottom of the seventh proved costly in a 1-0 loss in the first game. Pitcher Paxton Duran did not help her own cause by dropping a pop up on the infield. As a result, the runner eventually made it to third and came in to score on a two-out single by Brielle Asato.

Duran danced out of danger several times in the game when the Orediggers had runners in scoring position. A double play on a fly out, cutting down an Oredigger runner at the plate in the fifth kept the game scoreless all the way until the seventh.

The Tigers left six runners on base in the game, unable to score any runs in four innings where they had a runner reach at least second base.

Hallie Smith went the distance in the circle for Colorado Mines in the win, striking out seven and allowing just three hits and a walk over seven innings. Duran took the loss for FHSU, allowing six hits with three strikeouts in 6.2 innings of work.

Game 2: Colorado Mines 5, Fort Hays State 4
After struggling offensively in game one, the Tigers got off to a good start in game two, plating single runs in the first and second and a pair in the third. The Tigers had a 4-1 lead through three innings.

Courtney Dobson started the scoring in the first with an RBI single down the right field line. In the second, McKenzie Villarreal provided a pinch hit sacrifice fly RBI to put FHSU back on top 2-1 after the Orediggers plated a run in the first as well. In the third, the Tigers loaded the bases and Kylie Strand had an RBI single and Madeline LaPolla an RBI walk to push the lead to 4-1. However, two straight fielder’s choice grounders resulted in runners getting cut down at the plate by force and the threat ended with another groundout.

After retiring the first batter of the fourth, Tiger pitcher Carrie Clarke ran into trouble by walking consecutive batters and then allowing a single to load the bases. The Orediggers recorded another single and after one run crossed the plate, the runner from second attempted to come home, but stopped short of the plate on a good throw from the outfield. However, catcher Erin Elmore threw the ball wide of third base in the potential run-down play allowing the run to score anyway. An RBI groundout tied the game, which should have been the third out of the inning, and then an RBI double with two outs pushed the Orediggers in front. In all, four of the six runs allowed by the Tigers on the day over both games were unearned.

The Tigers loaded the bases in the fifth, but a strikeout ended the threat, then put a runner on in the sixth and seventh but could not get them any further than first base.

Maddie Rogers picked up the win for Colorado Mines, going 4.2 innings. She allowed nine hits and six walks while giving up four runs. Hallie Smith, who blanked the Tigers in game one, came in for the last 2.1 innings to earn the save. She got the Orediggers out of the bases-loaded jam in the fifth.

Clarke took the loss for FHSU, allowing five runs (two earned) on eight hits and four walks, with four strikeouts.

Fort Hays State looks to get back on track in conference play Friday and Saturday at home. The Tigers host Lincoln University in a doubleheader at 2 pm on Friday and Lindenwood University in a doubleheader at 1 pm on Saturday.

FHSU Athletics

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State freshman Hannah Perkins was named the MIAA Women’s Golf Athlete of the Week on Wednesday. Perkins was the top finisher for the Tigers at the FHSU Spring Thaw in Mesa, Ariz.

Perkins shot the only sub-80 round of the tournament for the Tigers in the second round on Tuesday. She shot 77 after carding 85 on the first day. She tied for 16th individually in the tournament.

FHSU Athletics

DENVER – Fort Hays State dropped both games of a non-conference doubleheader at Metro State University of Denver on Tuesday. The Tigers lost in walk-off fashion in game one, before falling by three in the nightcap. FHSU is now 9-14 overall on the season, while Metro State improved to 18-10.

Game 1: Metro State 3, Fort Hays State 2
Fort Hays State tied the game twice, but fell victim to a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh in a 3-2 loss.

Metro State took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI double, but the Tigers countered with a run in the second on an RBI single from Courtney Dobson. The Roadrunners grabbed the lead back, 2-1, with an RBI groundout in the third.

The Tigers had a golden opportunity to do more than tie the game in the sixth. Back-to-back doubles by Tori Beltz and Samantha Villarreal tied the game 2-2 with just one out, but the next two Tiger batters struck out to end a great opportunity to take a lead.

That proved costly as Metro State led off the seventh with a single and the runner moved up on a sacrifice bunt. Then Brooke Lovas had a seeing-eye single through the right side that scored the runner from second to end the game.

Paxton Duran took the loss for FHSU, moving to 6-8 on the season. She allowed three runs on six hits and four walks in 6.1 innings of work, while striking out six.

Hayley Fields picked up the win in relief for Metro State, moving to 11-3 on the season. She threw the last two innings, allowing one run on two hits, but struck out five.

Game 2: Metro State 5, Fort Hays State 2
Fort Hays State jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the second, but it was short-lived as Metro State scored three in the bottom half and then a pair in the fourth to take the nightcap 5-2.

In the second inning, Kylie Strand drove in the first run of the game with a single and Madeline LaPolla followed with an RBI groundout.

A throwing error by the Tigers in the bottom of the second proved costly, as it led to unearned runs as three crossed plate for Metro State in the inning. The Roadrunners tacked on a pair of RBI singles in the fourth to grow their lead to three.

That was plenty for Metro State starter Kailey Christensen, who allowed five hits and two walks with four strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work. Sarah Bretti worked a 1-2-3 seventh for the save.

Carrie Clarke took the loss for FHSU, going 3.1 innings. She allowed seven hits and three walks, while striking out two. Paxton Duran threw the final 2.2 innings and did not allow a hit with three strikeouts.

Fort Hays State looks to bounce back in a doubleheader at Colorado Mines on Wednesday starting at 1 pm CDT.

FHSU Athletics

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State was unable to avoid a three-game sweep by Southwest Baptist on Sunday (Mar. 13). The Bearcats defeated the Tigers 13-8, moving to 9-9 overall and 4-5 in the MIAA. The Tigers fell to 9-11 overall and 3-6 in the MIAA.

Fort Hays State fell down 6-0 before scoring its first run of the game in the third. A three-run fifth brought them within two at 6-4, but SBU countered with three runs in the sixth to push its lead back out to five. FHSU scored one in the sixth, two in the eighth, and one in the ninth, but it was not enough as the Bearcats added two in the seventh and two in the ninth.

Austin Unrein and Connor Ross each had two RBI in the game. Unrein went 3-for-6 at the plate, which included a solo home run, double, and single, just a triple shy of the cycle. Ross had a single and a double, going 2-for-5 at the dish. Caleb Cherryholmes had a three-hit game and scored a run.

Kyle Vogt took the loss, going 5.1 innings in his start. He allowed nine runs (seven earned) on 10 hits and a walk with two strikeouts. Giles Fox and Unrein also pitched in relief.

The Tigers hit the road to play at Emporia State next weekend in another three-game conference series. Games are scheduled Friday through Sunday (Mar. 18-20).

By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Fort Hays State couldn’t overcome a couple of cold shooting stretches and poor free throw shooting in the first half as they fall to Nebraska-Kearney 79-67 in the first round of the NCAA II Central Regional at the Sanford Pentagon. Connor Beranek scored 37 points and pulled down 14 rebounds to lead the Lopers (21-11) to the second round where they will face top-seed Augustana.

FHSU Post Game Press Conference

 

Game Highlights

 
Nebraska-Kearney used a 10-0 run midway through the first half to build a 10-point lead. A Kenny Enoch layup at the end of the first half pulled the Tigers (20-11) within six at halftime. UNK quickly pushed the lead to 12 early in the second half before the Tigers mounted an 11-2 run to pull within three with 9:45 to play. FHSU was within four with the ball with 6:40 to go but could get no closer. The Lopers responded with an 11-4 run to go up 11.

UNK hit 25-of-29 free throws including 16-for-16 in the second half. The Tigers went 15-of-25 from the line but were just 3-of-9 in the first half.

Craig Nicholson led Fort Hays State with 19 points while Jake Stoppel added 16 and Dom Samac 12 along with 12 rebounds.

FHSU Athletics

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State baseball dropped to 9-10 overall and 3-5 in the MIAA on Saturday (Mar. 12), when they suffered a 13-5 loss at the hands of Southwest Baptist. The Bearcats moved to 8-9 overall and also 3-5 in the MIAA.

Southwest Baptist got out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning, but the Tigers trimmed the lead to one run before the inning was over with two of their own. Austin Unrein provided a sacrifice fly RBI and Connor Ross plated Joe Mapes with an RBI single.

That was all the scoring for the next three innings as each team failed to produce any runs until the fifth. That is when SBU broke the game open as they pushed across seven runs on six hits with three walks. All seven of the Bearcat batters that reached base did so consecutively without the Tigers recording an out.

After the Bearcats increased their lead to 11-2 in the top half of the seventh, the Tigers responded with two runs. With one out, Ty Redington, Caleb Cherryholmes and Unrein all singled in a row with Unrein recording his second and third RBI of the day.

Two more runs from SBU in the top of the ninth saw the Tigers looking at a 13-4 deficit. FHSU pushed a run across on an RBI single from Alex Weiss, but nothing more as they dropped the game 13-5.

Logan Herd took the loss on the mound after lasting 4.1 innings. He allowed eight runs on nine hits, with three walks and two strikeouts. Kyle Vogt and Clayton Basgall each gave up two runs in relief and Jackson Rolfs allowed one.

The Tigers look to avoid the sweep on Sunday (Mar. 13) in the series finale at 12 pm.

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State saw two wrestlers claim All-America honors at the NCAA Division II Championships on Saturday (Mar. 12) in Sioux Falls, S.D. Jon Inman (184) and Brad Little (149) each had two wins on the first day, securing the All-America status, as Inman placed fifth and Little placed eighth on Saturday.

Inman’s fifth place finish is the highest finish of his career after qualifying the previous two years. Inman found himself in the semifinals to open up day two after going 2-0 on Friday. The No. 2 wrestler at 184 pounds, Travis McKillop from Pitt-Johnstown, got out to an early lead and Inman fell to the consolation bracket by losing an 8-4 decision. After suffering another defeat at the hands of Maryville’s Nick Burghardt, Inman rebounded to claim fifth with a 12-3 major decision over Montrail Johnson of Wisconsin-Parkside. Inman finished the season at 38-4 overall.

Little finished his career at Fort Hays State with an eighth-place performance and his first All-American honor. After going 2-1 on day one, Little dropped a pair of matches Saturday to place eighth. Little finished his senior year as a Tiger with an overall record of 26-12, and rounded out his career with an impressive 109-61 record.

Little and Inman now make 11 All-Americans under head coach Chas Thompson and 37 NCAA Division II All-Americans in Fort Hays State history.

By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post

PITTSBURG, Kan. – Winona State outscored Fort Hays State 18-2 over the final 8:08 of the fourth quarter as they rally from a 13-point second half deficit for a 60-55 win in the opening round of the NCAA II Central Regional at John Lance Arena. The 16th-ranked Tigers (25-6), who led 41-27 at halftime, hit only 5-of-33 in the second half and were 1-for-20 from beyond the arc after halftime.

Taylor Chandler and Jill Faxon led the Tigers with 11 points each. Faxon added a career-high 15 rebounds in the losing effort. Junior guard Tara Roelofs led No. 7 Winona State with 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting including 4-for-4 from 3-point range.

FHSU Postgame Press Conference

Game Highlights

Winona State (30-3) raced out to an early nine-point first quarter lead, but the Tigers answered with a 31-9 run to go up 13. The Warriors scored 11 straight to pull within two late in the third quarter, but a 9-0 run by the Tigers pushed the lead to 11 with 8:08 to play.

The Tigers would not score again until a Jill Faxon layup with 0:13 to play, ending a 7:55 scoring drought in which WSU scored 17 unanswered.

The Fort Hays State women’s basketball team will take a No. 16 national ranking into the NCAA II Central Regional in Pittsburg after dropping four spots in the latest WBCA/USA Today Top-25 poll. The Tigers, who are the No. 5 seed for the regional, are one of four MIAA teams in this week poll. Missouri Western dropped three spots to No. 10, Emporia State moved up two to No. 18 and Pittsburg State falls three to No. 19.

The Tigers first round opponent, Winona State (Minn.) is the highest ranked team in the regional at No. 7. They Northern Sun Conference regular season champ moved up a spot despite losing in their conference tournament semifinal.

March 8, 2016 WBCA/USA Today Top-25 poll…

Rank	Institution – First Place Votes	Previous Rank	Record	Total Points
1	Lubbock Christian University (Texas) – 19	1	29-0	595
2	Limestone College (S.C.) – 5	2	30-0	564
3	Ashland University (Ohio)	5	30-1	535
4	University of Alaska – Anchorage	6	33-2	510
5	California Baptist University	3	28-2	462
6	Lewis University (Ill.)	4	28-2	446
7	Winona State University (Minn.)	8	29-3	435
8	Virginia Union University	13	25-2	378
9	Union University (Tenn.)	9	28-3	363
10	Missouri Western State	7	27-3	362
11	Benedict College (S.C.)	14	27-2	337
12	Arkansas Tech University	15	26-3	308
13	Azusa Pacific University (Calif.)	18	27-3	291
14	Drury University (Mo.)	10	24-4	274
15	West Texas A&M University	11	26-4	258
16	Fort Hays State University (Kan.)	12	25-5	236
17	West Liberty University (W.Va.)	17	27-3	225
18	Emporia State University (Kan.)	20	26-5	223
19	Pittsburg State University (Kan.)	16	26-5	207
20	Bellarmine University (Ky.)	24	24-3	161
21	University of California – San Diego	19	24-4	120
22	Quincy University (Ill.)	22	25-5	73
23	Nova Southeastern University (Fla.)	21	23-6	60
24	Columbus State University (Ga.)	23	24-5	54
25	Bentley University (Mass.)	NR	25-5	53

Dropped Out: Anderson University (S.C.).

Others receiving votes: California State University – East Bay 43; Ursuline College (Ohio) 43; University Of Sioux Falls (S.D.) 38; Lander University (S.C.) 28; Kentucky State University 22; Anderson University (S.C.) 14; Colorado State University – Pueblo 14; American International College (Mass.) 7; Clayton State University (Ga.) 6; Florida Southern College 6; Shaw University (N.C.) 6; Wheeling Jesuit University (W.Va.) 6; California University of Pennsylvania (Pa.) 2; Northern State University (S.D.) 2.

For the first time in school history, both the Fort Hays State men’s and women’s basketball teams are headed to the NCAA Division II tournament in the same year. Both teams will be the No. 5 seed in the Central Regional the NCAA announced during the selection show Sunday evening.

The women’s tournament will be played in Pittsburg, Kan. and hosted by Pittsburg State while the men’s tournament will be played in Sioux Falls, S.D. and hosted by Augustana.

The Central Region is made up of teams from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference the Mid-America Athletic Association and the Great American Conference.

The Tiger women (25-5), who are making their second straight tournament appearance and third overall, will play Winona State (Minn.) on Friday at John Lance Arena. The Warriors (29-3) are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2011 and the third in program history. They won the Northern Sun Conference regular season title by three games.

The FHSU men (20-10), making their second appearance in three years and 13th overall, will face Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Sanford Pentagon. The Lopers (20-11) are making their 12th tournament appearance after tying for second in the MIAA and finishing second on the conference tournamant.

NCAA II Women’s Central Regional
John Lance Arena; Pittsburg, Kan.
March 11, 12, 14

No. 4. Winona State (29-3) vs. No. 5. Fort Hays State (25-5), 12 p.m.
No. 1. Emporia State (26-5) vs. No. 7. Northern State (23-7), 2:30 p.m.
No. 2. Pittsburg State (27-5) vs. No. 7. Sioux Falls (27-5), 6 p.m.
No. 3. Missouri Western (27-3) vs. No. 6. Arkansas Tech (26-3), 8:30 p.m.

NCAA II Men’s Central Regional
Sanford Pentagon; Sioux Falls, S.D.
March 12, 13, 15

No. 3. MSU-Moorhead (30-5) vs. Minnesota State (21-9), 12 p.m.
No. 2. Northwest Missouri State (25-5) vs. No. 7 Ouachita Baptist (19-12), 2:30 p.m.
No. 1 Augustana (28-2) vs. No. 8 Harding (20-10), 5:30 p.m.
No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney (20-11) vs. No. 5 Fort Hays State (20-10). 8 p.m.