FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State baseball has made adjustments in its schedule for the coming weekend. Instead of heading to the Denver area to play three games against Regis University and one against Colorado Mines, a three-game series with Regis will now be played in Hays on Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 13-14). The series has moved due to lingering snow and moisture at Regis’ baseball facility.

Fort Hays State and Regis will start the series with one game on Saturday at Larks Park beginning at 3 pm. The teams will return on Sunday to play a doubleheader starting at 12 pm. All games of the 3-game series will be 9-inning contests.

The game scheduled with Colorado Mines this week has been removed from the schedule.

Losses last week by Ashland (Ohio) and West Texas A&M have allowed the Fort Hays State women’s basketball team to move back into the top-five of the latest USA Today/WBCA rankings. The Tigers move up two spots to No. 5.

It’s their second No. 5 ranking this season and seventh week in the top-10. FHSU remains the highest ranked team from the MIAA with Missouri Western moving up one spot to No. 8 and Emporia State dropping five spots to No. 21. Pittsburg State, who rallied to beat the Hornets in Emporia Saturday, are in at No. 23.

The Tigers play at Pittsburg State Thursday.

Below is the Feb. 9 USA Today/WBCA poll…

Rank	Institution – First Place Votes	Previous Rank	Record	Total Points
1	University of Alaska – Anchorage – 9	2	26-1	580
2	Lubbock Christian University (Texas) – 13	1	20-0	579
3	Limestone College (S.C.) -2	4	20-0	523
4	California Baptist University	5	21-1	515
5	Fort Hays State University (Kan.)	7	20-2	473
6	Ashland University (Ohio)	3	22-1	470
7	Lewis University (Ill.)	8	22-1	468
8	Missouri Western State	9	21-2	422
9	Winona State University (Minn.)	10	23-2	398
10	West Texas A&M University	6	20-2	392
11	Union University (Tenn.)	11	21-2	361
12	Drury University (Mo.)	12	18-3	304
13	Virginia Union University	13	18-2	289
14	Nova Southeastern University (Fla.)	14	19-3	270
15	Arkansas Tech University	16	17-2	244
16	Benedict College (S.C.)	15	21-2	240
17	Anderson University (S.C.)	19	16-3	199
18	West Liberty University (W.Va.)	20	19-3	163
19	Azusa Pacific University	21	19-3	157
20	Quincy University (Ill.)	18	19-3	136
21	Emporia State University (Kan.)	16	17-5	108
22	University of California – San Diego	23	18-3	98
23	Pittsburg State University (Kan.)	NR	19-4	89
24	Bentley University (Mass.)	NR	19-3	84
25	University Of Sioux Falls (S.D.)	NR	20-4	64

Dropped Out: Bellarmine University (Ky.); Clayton State University (Ga.); Delta State University (Miss.).

Others receiving votes: Columbus State University (Ga.) 34; Bellarmine University (Ky.) 31; Clayton State University (Ga.) 17; Delta State University (Miss.) 15; Kentucky State University 13; California State University – East Bay 9; Colorado State University – Pueblo 6.

FHSU Athletics

LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Fort Hays State came up on the short end of another high-scoring contest at New Mexico Highlands on Monday (Feb. 8), falling by a score of 15-12. The Tigers still won the three game series, sitting at 2-1 to open the season.

FHSU held leads three times in the game, but NMHU scored nine runs over the seventh and eighth innings to salvage the final game of the three-game set. FHSU still made it interesting in the ninth by scoring five runs after trailing 15-7 and got the potential tying run to the plate. But with two on and two outs, Austin Unrein flew out down the right field line to end the game.

Fort Hays State held leads of 3-0, 5-4, and 7-6 before the Cowboys rallied ahead for good with four runs in the seventh and five in the eighth.

Connor Ross had a huge game at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a home run and five RBI. Joe Mapes recorded three RBI with one swing of the bat, a pinch-hit 3-run homer in the ninth to get the score to 15-12. Alex Weiss had two RBI. Austin Unrein had another solid game at the plate, going 3-for-6 with three runs scored.

FHSU outhit NMHU 18-11, but free runners allowed by Tiger pitching and fielding mistakes were costly. FHSU pitchers surrendered 11 walks and hit two batters, which turned into seven runs. Three of NMHU’s runs scored on the two errors committed in the game by FHSU.

FHSU starter Justin Hersch battled command issues and lasted just 1 2/3 innings. Two of the four runs he surrendered were earned. Will Amen and Connor Boyer each gave up a run in relief. Casey Sedbrook took the loss in 2.1 innings of work, surrendering three runs. Logan Herd and Giles Fox also gave up three runs each. Getting the final out of the eighth, Andrew Astalos was the only Tiger reliever not to give up a run in the game.

Corey Nelson picked up the win for the Cowboys in 2/3 innings of relief. Dylan Norris earned the save by getting the final out of the game.

Fort Hays State is scheduled to play in the Denver area this weekend with three games against Regis and one against Colorado Mines.

FHSU Athletics

LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Fort Hays State moved to 2-0 to start the season with a 9-7 win over New Mexico Highlands on Sunday. Down 6-3, FHSU scored six runs over the final three innings, while Jackson Rolfs and Logan Herd shut the door on the Cowboys late. The Tigers are out to their first 2-0 start since 2010.

The Tigers picked up a win in comeback fashion for the second straight day against the Cowboys. FHSU trailed 2-0 after one inning, but cut the lead in half on a Connor Ross RBI in the third. The Tigers took their first lead of the game in the fifth with a Caleb Cherryholmes RBI double and an Austin Unrein single.

FHSU starter Kyle Vogt settled in nicely after allowing the two runs in the first. But he finally ran into trouble in the sixth. He surrendered a run in the fifth that tied the game, but then gave up a two-run homer in the sixth to give the lead back. That was the end of his afternoon, going 5.2 innings and allowing five runs (four earned), while striking out four. The Cowboys tacked on another run by error with Clayton Basgall on in relief.

Down by three, the Tigers fought back in the top of the seventh with a four-run, two-out rally. Ross started it with an RBI double, then Alex King had an RBI single to cut the deficit to one. Alex Weiss stepped to the plate and hit a two-run homer down the left field line to push the Tigers back in front 7-6.

Basgall struggled to open the bottom of the seventh, allowing the Cowboys to load the bases before handing the ball to Rolfs. Rolfs induced a double play on which the tying run scored, but then got a fly out to get out of the bases loaded, no-out jam.

In the eighth Ty Redington put the Tigers back in front with a solo homer and Rolfs worked a scoreless bottom half of the inning. Weiss gave the Tigers an insurance run in the ninth with an RBI single, then freshman Herd entered and worked a 1-2-3 inning on the mound for his first collegiate save.

Unrein had his second-straight three-hit game, going 3-for-4 at the plate. Redington, Cherryholmes, Ross and Weiss all had two hits. Weiss had three RBI, while Ross had two. Rolfs picked up the win in relief.

The Tigers look for a three-game sweep of the Cowboys on Monday when they take the field at 12 pm MT/1 pm CT.

By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

 

By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State closed on a 28-12 run after falling behind by one with 8:26 to play and beat Southwest Baptist 81-66 in front of 3,385 Saturday at Gross Coliseum. The Tigers (15-7, 9-7 MIAA) built a five-point halftime lead and were up six midway through the second half when the Bearcats (9-13, 4-12 MIAA) put together an 11-4 run to take the lead on a Logan Hovey 3-pointer.

FHSU scored the next seven to take the lead back for good.

Mark Johnson Postgame Interview

Dom Samac Postgame Interview

Game Highlights

Dom Samac scored 25 points and pulled down nine rebounds to lead the Tigers. The senior center was 6-of-7 from the floor including 2-for-2 from beyond the arc and hit 11-of-13 free throws. Rob Davis hit a couple of key 3-pointers late and scored 20. Jake Stoppel added 18

Logan Hovey led Bearcats with 21.

 

By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State shot 68-percent in the first half in building a 26-point halftime then held on in the second half for a 96-84 win over Southwest Baptist Saturday afternoon in front of 2,735 at Gross Coliseum. The Tigers (20-2, 14-2 MIAA) built a 28-point lead midway through the third quarter only to see the Bearcats (12-10, 7-9) respond with a 23-4 run to pull within nine late in the third.

Nikola Kacperska hit a 3-pointer at the horn to push the lead to 12 heading into fourth qurter. The Tigers then then knocked down 10 of their 11 free throw attempts in the final period to hold off the Bearcats comeback bid.

Tony Hobson Postgame Interview

 

Game Highlights

 

The Tigers shot a season-high 57-percent for the game and set a season-high in points scored. They were led by senior guard Beth Bohuslavsky who scored a career-high 25 and led the team with seven rebounds. She went 8-for-10 from the floor including 2-for-2 from beyond the arc and was 9-for-11 from the free throw line.

Kacperska hit three 3’s and scored 16. Jill Faxon added 13, Paige Lunsford 12 and Chelsea Mason 11.

Leann Terrill and Megan Rosenbohm both scored 19 to lead SBU who beat handed their Tigers their first loss of the season back in December in Bolivar.

FHSU Athletics

LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The Fort Hays State baseball team started the season off with a win for the first time since 2012 with a 12-9 victory over New Mexico Highlands in 10 innings on Saturday. The Tigers trailed early giving up six runs in the first two innings, but had enough grit and a little help from the poor defensive play by NMHU to complete the comeback.

The Tigers started the comeback in the top of the third inning when Austin Unrein and Ty Redington both scored on a two-out error by the Cowboys making the score 6-2 until the top of the fourth. Unrein, with a single, made it all the way home on a fielding mistake by the NMHU center fielder.

The Tigers managed for four runs in the fourth inning with four hits, a hit batter, and a walk to tie the game at 6-6. Trevor Hughes and Caleb Cherryholmes each had one RBI, while Unrein netted two on a single to tie the game. In the bottom half of the inning the Cowboys reclaimed the lead as a hit batter came around to score after a two out error from the Tigers.

The Tigers went on to score three more runs in the next two innings but were shut out in the final three. Alex Weiss tied the game with a sacrifice fly in the fifth and Cherryholmes and Joe Mapes each had RBIs in the sixth to give FHSU its first lead.

The Tigers held a 9-7 advantage going into the bottom of the seventh inning, but suffered one run in each of the next two innings making the game 9-9 going to the ninth inning. Each team went 1-2-3 in the ninth frame, giving the fans some free afternoon baseball.

In the 10th inning the Tigers took advantage of several Cowboy mistakes. Weiss led the inning off with a double, and ended up on third after a sacrifice bunt from pinch hitter, Colton Helm. The next batter, Nick Hammeke struck out swinging but the Cowboy catcher dropped the ball and overthrew first base allowing Weiss to score and Hammeke to advance to second. After Redington lined out, Cherryholmes hit a ball to right field that was dropped allowing Hammeke to score. Unrein then stepped up to the plate and delivered an insurance run with an RBI single to make it 12-9.

The Cowboys had no answer as Giles Fox struck out the side in the bottom of the 10th, sealing the tiger victory. Fox retired the final eight batters of the game to secure a win in 2.2 innings of relief, striking out five total.

Unrein led the Tigers offensively going 3-for-6 with three RBI and a stolen base. Weiss added two hits, both doubles, and an RBI, while Connor Ross chipped in two hits of his own.

The Tigers face off against the Cowboys again on Sunday at 12 pm MT.

By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State tied a season-high with 15 three-pointers, including nine in the second half, as they knock off Central Missouri 81-54 in front of 3,355 Thursday night at Gross Coliseum. The Tigers (14-7, 8-7 MIAA) led by 10 at halftime then outscored the Mules (13-8, 7-8 MIAA) 25-9 over the final seven and a half minutes to put the game away.

Mark Johnson Postgame Interview

Craig Nicholson Postgame Interview

Game Highlights

Rob Davis went 6-of-12 from 3-point range and led three Tigers on double-figures with 22 points. Craig Nicholson hit 4-of-6 beyond the arc and scored 14 and dished out 10 assists. He had two steals to keyed a 10-0 run with 7 1/2 minutes to play that saw FHSU push their lead to 21. Jake Stoppel scored 10.

Central Missouri was led by freshman Jakob Lowrance who scored 14 points. Marquiez Lawrence and D’Marnier Cunningham added 10.

By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State used a 26-5 run which spanned the second and third quarters to build a 20-point lead then held on the rest of the way for a 70-57 win over Central Missouri Thursday in front of 2,775 at Gross Coliseum. The Tigers (19-2, 13-2 MIAA) closed the second quarter on a 16-1 run and led by 14 at the half.

The Jennies (8-12, 7-8 MIAA) closed the third quarter on a 10-2 run to pull within 12 and cut the Tigers lead to 10 early in the fourth quarter.

Tony Hobson Postgame Interview

 

Game Highlights

 

Nikola Kacperska led the Tigers balanced scoring attack with 11 points. Paige Lunsford, Jill Faxon and Beth Bohuslavsky all added 10.

The Jennies were led by Shelby Winkleman’s 14 points while Paige Redmond and Danielle Barry both added 11.

FHSU shot 44-percent from the floor including 5-of-18 from beyond the arc. They were 17-of-27 from the free throw line where they outscored the Mules by 10.

FHSU Athletics

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State celebrated senior night with an MIAA victory over Central Missouri on Wednesday (Feb. 3) by the score of 44-9.

Results

A brief ceremony before the dual honored the seven Tiger seniors on the team – Joey Dozier, Tyler Dryden, Noah Killip, Bradley Little, Adam Ludwin, Nathan Shipley and Matt Ziegler.

The Tigers took an early 6-0 lead as a result of a forfeit at 125 pounds and never lost the lead for the rest of the night. Adam Ludwin received the win, moving to 20-7 on the season. He reached 20 wins for the fifth consecutive year (which includes a redshirt season).

Anthony Calderon doubled the Tiger lead to 12-0 when he pinned Daide Agnew at the 4:51 mark in the 133-pound bout.

The first senior Tiger to wrestle in the dual was Noah Killip at 141 pounds and he did not disappoint. Killip extended the Tiger lead by six more points with a pin at 1:50 in the first period over Caleb Crabtree.

Another open weight class (149) by the Mules gave the Tigers a 24-0 lead heading into the 157-pound bout featuring FHSU’s Joey Dozier and UCM’s Dylan Lewis. Dozier, another senior honored on the night, ended his home wrestling career at Fort Hays State with a quick pin just 57 seconds into the first period.

FHSU’s Kregg Clarke and UCM’s Allan Person hit the mat for the 165-pound bout with the Tigers leading 30-0. Trailing 3-2 heading into the third period, Clarke earned a key two-point reversal with 30 seconds left in the match and remained in control to earn the 4-3 decision.

With the Tigers on top 33-0, senior Nathan Shipley faced the toughest opponent on the Mules roster, No. 7 wrestler at 174 pounds Archie Williams. Despite a solid effort from Shipley, Williams showed why he is among the best in the nation and recorded a pin at 1:55 making the score 33-6 in favor of the Tigers.

FHSU countered with its ranked wrestler as No. 6 Jon Inman increased the Tiger’s lead to 39-6 when he scored a pin fall of his own at 1:55 over freshman Tyler Nelson at 184 pounds.
At 197 pounds Cash Drylie had full control of his match and only suffered a one point escape on his way to an 18-1 technical fall victory.

In the final bout of the evening (285), Central Missouri’s Nick Lovejoy was able to hang on over Fort Hays State’s Dakota Gulley with a 5-3 decision. Despite the late victory by the Mules it was too little, too late as the Tigers earned the 44-9 victory.

The Tigers now hold a dual record of 6-5, 1-3 MIAA and the Mules dropped to 2-9 overall and 1-4 in the MIAA.

The Tigers look to pick up a second MIAA win on Thursday (Feb. 11) when they head to Wichita, Kan. to take on the Newman Jets at 7 pm.