FHSU Sports Information
Fort Hays State Softball split its doubleheader with Rockhurst on Tuesday (April 14) in Kansas City, Mo. It was the Tigers’ fourth doubleheader in five days, and saw FHSU drop the first game, 6-2, before rebounding with a 2-1 win in eight innings in the second game.

FHSU (23-22) is idle until next Tuesday (April 21) when it travels to Alva, Okla., for a non-conference doubleheader with Northwestern Oklahoma State.

Complete recaps of Tuesday’s action is below…

Rockhurst 6, Fort Hays State 2
Paxton Duran (11-11) took the loss, throwing six innings with six runs allowed (five earned) on seven hits. Duran struck out one and walked one as well.

Tori Beltz was 2-for-3 on the day while Kylie Strand, Samantha Villarreal and Mackenzie Villarreal each had doubles.

FHSU struck fast in the top of the first, starting with Kylie Strand’s leadoff double. Erin Elmore followed with an RBI single through the left side, scoring Strand and giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead. From there, FHSU threatened to score again afterTori Beltz singled for the Tigers’ third straight hit, putting two runners on with no outs. A double play, however, hurt the Tigers’ chances and the score remained the same until RU answered in its half of the first, and tied the game at 1-all behind Demi Plathe’s RBI double.

That score held until the bottom of the fourth, when RU used two hits, one hit batter, two fielder’s choices and an FHSU error to break out with a 5-1 lead. From there, the Tigers looked to strike back after loading the bases with just one out in the top of the fifth, but were held off the board for the fourth straight inning.

Another run for the Hawks made it 6-1 in the fifth, and though the Tigers got one back in the top of the sixth, it wasn’t enough. FHSU put runners on second and third with no outs after Beltz singled and Samantha Villarreal doubled, and with one out Mackenzie Villarreal doubled to drive home Gabrielle Sandoval (who pinch ran for Beltz).

Fort Hays State 2, Rockhurst 1 (Eight innings)
Kelsey Kimminau (11-9) threw a complete game for the win, giving up one run with just two hits allowed, striking out two.

FHSU had just four hits in the game, spread between Beltz, Samantha Villarreal, Amanda Vaupel and Courtney Dobson. Beltz’s seventh home run of the season gave FHSU a 1-0 lead in the first, and Dobson’s double was the Tigers other extra base hit.

Up 1-0 after Beltz’s two-out home run in the first, FHSU held that advantage until the foruth when a leadoff walk helped RU tie it, 1-1.

The Tigers threatened to regain the lead in the seventh by loading the bases with one out, but couldn’t push the go-ahead run home. RU put a runner on the bottom of the seventh as well, but Kimminau and the Tigers forced extras by keeping the game tied.

Strand was hit by a pitch to lead off the eighth, moving to second on Erin Elmore’s sacrifice bunt. From there, Beltz reached on a fielding error on a hit to the outfield, and Strand dashed home for the go ahead run before a three up, three down bottom half of the eighth for the Hawks.

FHSU Sports Information
Fort Hays State tennis fell by a score of 7-2 to Nebraska-Kearney on Tuesday (Apr. 14) at the FHSU Tennis Courts in Hays, Kan. It was the final home match of the season for the Tigers as three seniors played their final matches at home. FHSU took one doubles match and one singles match for its two points against the fifth-ranked team in the Central Region.

Brittney Ricci had a great Senior Day at the courts, having a hand in both wins for the Tigers. She teamed with Katie Hippat No. 2 doubles to win 9-7 over Paula Jimenez and Kristin Weems. She then picked up a hard-fought straight set win over Sthefani Rodriguez by scores of 7-6 (9-7), 6-4.

At No. 1 doubles, Camille Caron-Bedard and Jessica Johnson lost 8-4 to the No. 5 ranked team in the region of Emily Fink and Rodriguez. At No. 3 doubles, Reinette Strydom and Michelle Miller lost 8-1 to Emma Neil and Kari Emery.

At No. 1 singles, Caron-Bedard was only a point away from upsetting Weems, the No. 12 ranked player in the region, in the second set, but Weems fought off the point and won a game that led to a second-set tiebreak that she used to force a third set. Weems pulled away for a 10-1 win in the third set to claim the match. Caron-Bedard won the first set 6-2.

UNK (18-4, 7-2 MIAA), took all the other singles matches in straight sets. At No. 3, Miller lost to Jimenez 6-1, 6-1. At No. 4, Strydom lost to Neil 6-0, 6-0. At No. 5, Hipp had to retire in the second set against Emery. At No. 6, Johnson lost 6-0, 6-3 to Trimble.

The Tigers (11-10, 2-8 MIAA) play their final match of the regular season on April 18 at Newman University in Wichita, Kan. Match time is set for 1 pm.

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State men’s golf finished 11th at the Washburn Invitational, held April 13-14 at the Topeka Country Club in Topeka, Kan. The tournament was the third MIAA event of the season. Trey Herman led the Tigers by tying for 23rd as an individual.

Herman’s best round of the tournament was the first on Monday, shooting a two-over par 73. He followed that with rounds of 76 and 78 to finish in a tie for 23rd with a total of 227. Dylan Wonnacott matched Herman’s 73 as the low round for a Tiger on the week, shooting it in the final round on Tuesday. Wonnacott preceded the final round with two rounds of 79. He finished in a tie for 38th, four strokes back of Herman.

Grant Storey shot rounds of 80, 77, and 81 to finish in 57th. Kade Megaffin tied for 66th with rounds of 78, 85, and 86. Billy Frey was 71st with rounds of 81, 89, and 87.

FHSU finished with a team total of 945. Central Missouri won the tournament with a total of 850. Northeastern State was 36 strokes back (886), and Central Oklahoma was 39 strokes back (889).

The Tigers compete at the MIAA Championships next week (Apr. 20-22) at Alvamar Golf Course in Lawrence, Kan.

FHSU Sports Information

Fort Hays State split its doubleheader with Newman on Monday in Wichita, Kan.  The Tigers dropped a narrow game one contest, 7-6, before taking a 6-3 victory in game two.

FHSU (22-21) continues its road trip on Tuesday in Kansas City, Mo., against Rockhurst in a doubleheader set for 2 p.m.

Complete recaps of Monday’s games are below…

Game 1: Newman 7, Fort Hays State 6
Fort Hays State hit five doubles in a back-and-forth contest, but a walk-off single in the seventh dealt the Tigers their fifth straight loss in 7-6 fashion.

Paxton Duran (11-10) was dealt the loss after throwing 6.1 innings, giving up seven runs (six earned) on nine hits while striking out three.  Savannah Price threw 0.1 innings and gave up the walk-off hit in the seventh.

Samantha Villarreal finished the game 2-for-4 with a an RBI double, while four other Tigers had doubles on the day –Kylie Strand, Erin Elmore, Mackenzie Villarreal and Duran.  Elmore and Duran each had two RBI to lead the team.

FHSU broke through in the second behind Duran’s RBI double, taking a 2-0 lead and never looking back.  In the second, Samantha Villarreal led off with a single, moving to second on a groundout and to third when Rilee Krier reached on an error.  After Krier stole second to put two runners in scoring position, Duran doubled through the right side, scoring both Tigers.

Strand led off the third with a double prior to Erin Elmore reaching after being hit by a pitch, and with one out, Samantha Villarreal doubled down the right field to score Strand and push the lead to 3-0.  Newman struck back in the bottom of the third, however, with four runs of its own (including a three-run home run) to take the lead.

The Tigers took back the lead (5-4) in the fourth after Elmore’s two-out double scored Courtney Dobson, who reached on a fielder’s choice, and Strand, who walked.

A fielding error in the bottom of the fourth helped the Jets tie the game at 5-5, but FHSU answered once more with a run in the top of the fifth.  After Amanda Vaupel reached on an error, two wild pitches moved the centerfielder to third for Mackenzie Villarreal, who hit the Tigers’ fifth double of the day to drive Vaupel home.

In the bottom of the seventh, NU tied it before Price entered to try and force extras, but after the second out of the inning, a walk-off single pushed the winning run home for the Jets.

Game 2: Fort Hays State 6, Newman 3
FHSU hit two home runs and snapped its five-game losing streak with a 6-3 win to close the doubleheader with Newman.

Sarah Cochran (2-1) earned the complete game win, giving up three runs while scattering 10 hits with five strikeouts.

Samantha Villarreal went 1-for-3 with three RBI while Strand was 1-for-3 with two RBI.  Both Tigers hit home runs.

The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the first when Strand scampered home on Samantha Villarreal’s sacrifice fly, and later pushed the lead to 3-0 in the third off Samantha Villarreal’s two-run home run.  Tori Beltz drew a one-out walk in the third before Samantha Villarreal hit her first home run of the season over the center field wall.

NU cut the lead to one (3-2) in the bottom of the third with a two-run home run of its own, but the Tigers stretched the lead back to three in the top of the fourth.

With one out, Veronica Knittig walked and later moved to second on a sacrifice bunt.  Strand then drove a 1-2 pitch over the fence for her team-leading seventh home run of the year.

The Tigers’ advantage grew to four (6-3) in the top of the sixth.  Krier reached on an error to start the inning and after moving to second on a passed ball, saw Knittig join her on the basepaths with a walk.  Dobson’s single loaded the bases, and with one out, Elmore reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Krier.

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State baseball won its second consecutive MIAA four-game series by sweeping Pittsburg State in a doubleheader on Saturday in Pittsburg, Kan. The Tigers won the games by scores of 8-5 and 7-2, using six home runs on the afternoon to move up to 11th in the MIAA standings.

Fort Hays State hosts its final five home games this coming week at Larks Park. The Tigers take on Newman in a non-conference game on Wednesday at 5 pm before hosting Emporia State in a four-game MIAA series over the weekend.

Game 1: Fort Hays State 8, Pittsburg State 5
The Tigers jumped out to a 4-0 lead through two and a half inning before the Gorillas notched their first two runs in the third. Connor Ross led off the game with a solo home run in the first and then Kevin Czarnecki provided a three-run blast in the third to give the Tigers the early cushion.

Pittsburg State added two more runs in the fourth to tie the game, but the Tigers regained the lead for good with two runs in the fifth on another Ross solo homer and a Czarnecki RBI single. The Gorillas pulled back within one at 6-5 with a run in the fifth, but Cooper Langley pushed the lead to three at 8-5 with a two-run homer in the seventh.

Tyler Patty relieved Joe Mapes in the fourth inning and went 3.2 innings in relief for the win. Patty allowed just two hits and two walks, while striking out two. His only run allowed was unearned. Mapes went 3.1 innings in his start, allowing four runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.

Nick Brandecker took the loss for PSU, moving to 1-2 on the year. He allowed five runs on five hits and three walks, but struck out four. Reliever Aaron Snow allowed one run to the Tigers and Drake Herrman allowed two.

Game 2: Fort Hays State 7, Pittsburg State 2
Fort Hays State took a 1-0 lead after the first inning on an Austin Unrein RBI triple, but Pittsburg State took its first lead with two runs in the third to go up 2-1. The Tigers knotted the game with a Connor Ross RBI single in the fourth.

Pittsburg State’s only error of the game would prove costly in the fifth as Andre Vieyra made the Gorillas pay with a two-out, two-RBI single, putting the Tigers on top 4-2. Those would prove to be the decisive runs as FHSU starter Justin Hersch and Unrein made the lead hold up.

Hersch had his second consecutive solid outing on the mound, allowing just two runs in 6.1 innings of work. He surrendered six hits and three walks, but struck out seven. Unrein picked up his second save of the season by pitching the final 2.2 innings of the game. He allowed just one hit and struck out three.

Providing insurance in the eighth and ninth were Jake Lanferman and Cooper Langley. Lanferman had a solo homer in the eighth to make it 5-2, then Langley made it 7-2 with a two-run homer. Langley now has 15 home runs on the season as he hit three in the series.

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State was hampered by limited offense in Saturday’s doubleheader at Washburn, falling 6-2 in game one before dropping an 8-0, five-inning contest in the finale.

Fort Hays State, now at 21-20 overall and 12-12 in the MIAA, has slipped to eighth place in the MIAA standings. FHSU will have to win at least one game against Nebraska-Kearney on April 24 in Hays in the final conference doubleheader of the year to hold off UNK in the MIAA standings. The top eight teams qualify for the MIAA Tournament. Mathematical possibilities still remain for movement and several ties in the standings, but it looks as though it will come down to the Tigers needing at least one win against the Lopers to punch their ticket to the conference tournament.

FHSU continues its road trip with non-conference doubleheaders at Newman on Monday then at Rockhurst Tuesday.

Game 1: Washburn 6, Fort Hays State 2
Fort Hays State couldn’t overcome a hot-hitting Washburn squad, falling 6-2 in the first game of the day.

Paxton Duran (10-10) took the loss, tossing three innings with five runs allowed (four earned) on six hits.  Duran struck out two and did not walk a batter before Savanah Price entered to toss the final three innings.  Price was tagged for one run on four hits, striking out two and walking one.

Samantha Villarreal was 2-for-4 in the game with an RBI, while Erin Elmore, Price and Dobson also had hits for the Tigers.

A solo home run from WU’s Cassidy Merriman gave the Ichabods a 1-0 lead in the first, and another three runs in the second pushed the Tigers’ deficit to 4-0.

Trailing 5-0 in the fourth, Amanda Vaupel took advantage of a WU error and moved to second, but after the Tigers put runners on first and third with two outs, the Ichabods got a ground ball to get out of the jam.

FHSU again threatened in the fifth, loading the bases before a diving stop on a ground ball to second kept the Tigers off the board.

Another home run pushed it to 6-0 in WU’s half of the fifth, beforea late rally in the seventh saw FHSU end the shutout.  With bases loaded, Tori Beltz drew a walk to score Courtney Dobson and Samantha Villarreal singled into right, plating Kylie Strand. That was as close as FHSU came, however, as the rally was cut short.

Game 2: Washburn 8, Fort Hays State 0
FHSU managed just one hit in the game two loss, falling 8-0 in five innings to the Ichabods.

Kelsey Kimminau (10-9) threw four innings, giving up eight runs (six earned) on 11 hits, and Veronica Knittig had FHSU’s only hit of the game – a single in the

Washburn again struck in the first, taking a 3-0 lead behind a five-hit effort in the inning.  WU added another five runs in the fourth to put the game in run-rule territory, and FHSU couldn’t force a continuation in the fifth.

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State baseball split a pair of conference games at Pittsburg State on Friday in Pittsburg, Kan. The Tigers took the seven-inning contest 11-3 before falling in the nine-inning game 8-6.

The Tigers (12-23, 9-17 MIAA) and Gorillas (12-21, 8-14 MIAA) will play another doubleheader on Saturday, starting at 1 pm.

Game 1: Fort Hays State 11, Pittsburg State 3
Fort Hays State took a 5-1 lead after two innings and never looked back in an eight-run win. FHSU scored twice in the fifth, sixth, and seventh to pull away late.

FHSU went up 3-0 in the top of the first on an RBI single by Kevin Czarnecki and a two-run home run by Cooper Langley. In the second, Nick Hammeke had an RBI double and then he came in to score on an error by the Gorillas.

Gabe Cook turned in a solid effort on the mound to keep the Tigers in front. He threw a complete game by scattering seven hits with three walks, while striking out four. Only one of the three runs he allowed was earned. Cook improved to 1-2 on the year.

FHSU was up 5-2 after three innings before it widened the lead to five in the fifth. Alex King drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and then Andre Vieyra scored on a throwing error.

Extra-base hits would give the Tigers their final four runs of the game. In the sixth, Austin Unrein hit a solo homer and Langley had a RBI double. In the seventh, Connor Ross hit a two-run homer.

Game 2: Pittsburg State 8, Fort Hays State 6
Fort Hays State initially took the lead in the second contest of the day with a run in the third, but Pittsburg State scored two in the fourth to go up 2-1 and led the rest of the game despite the Tigers pulling within one two more times.

Connor Ross got the Tigers on the board in the third with a sacrifice fly RBI. Steven Federau had a solid first three innings on the mound before running into trouble in the fourth. He took the hard luck loss in the game with only two runs surrendered, since the Tigers never caught the Gorillas from there on out, dropping to 0-3 on the year.

Pittsburg State expanded its lead to 6-1 with four runs in the fifth, three coming off reliever Giles Fox who lasted only a third of an inning. Kyle Vogt would go on to pitch the next 3.1 innings, allowing three runs, and Austin Unrein picked up the final out of the eighth.

The Tigers bounced back to put four runs on the board in the sixth, pulling back within one at 6-5. A double, followed by three straight singles led to the four runs. Kevin Czarnecki and Cooper Langley each had RBI singles, then Andre Vieyra and Alex King each had RBI groundouts. However, PSU pushed its lead to 7-5 with a solo homer in the sixth.

Czarnecki got that run back in the seventh with a RBI single, but the Gorillas brought in closer Ryan McKay to get the final out of the inning to stop the Tiger rally. McKay would go on to hold the Tigers scorless over the final two innings to pick up his sixth save of the season. PSU added an insurance run in the eighth.

PSU starter Jake Stevenson picked up the win, going 6.0 innings. He allowed five runs on seven hits and two walks, but struck out four. He moved to 2-4 on the season.

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State Softball was swept in Friday’s doubleheader with No. 15 Emporia State, falling 2-1 in the first contest before dropping a 4-1 game in the finale.

FHSU (21-18, 12-9 MIAA) travels to Topeka, Kan., Saturday for an MIAA doubleheader with Washburn.  Game time is set for 1 p.m.

Game 1: No. 15 Emporia State 2, Fort Hays State 1
Despite holding the 15th-ranked Lady Hornets to just two runs in the first game of the day, FHSU was limited to just one score in a 2-1 loss.

Paxton Duran (10-9) was dealt the loss, tossing six innings with two strikeouts while allowing four walks, six hits and two runs.

Tori Beltz was 2-for-3 in the game with a double and a walk, while Erin Elmore finished 1-for-2 with an RBI.

In the first, ESU took a 1-0 lead behind Kaitlyn Caston’s RBI single and held that advantage until the top of the fifth, when an RBI single from Elmore scored Duran from third.  Duran singled to start the fifth, moving around on a sacrifice bunt and a ground out. With two down, Elmore sent a 2-1 pitch in right field for the game-tying hit.

ESU took back the lead (2-1) in its half of the fifth off Caston’s second RBI of the day, this time coming on a squeeze bunt play.

Down to its last chance in the top of the seventh, FHSU put runners on the corners with two outs, but couldn’t force a continuation in the game.

Game 2: ESU 4, FHSU 1
The Tigers could not overcome an early deficit, falling 4-1 to the Lady Hornets in the second game of the doubleheader.

Kelsey Kimminau (10-8) saw her four-game winning streak snapped in the loss.  Kimminau tossed all six innings, giving up four runs (three earned) on seven hits, walking four with two strikeouts.

Beltz drew two walks in the game while Rilee Krier was 1-for-2 with an RBI.  Elmore, Samantha Villarreal, Amanda Vaupel and Mackenzie Villarreal also had hits for the Tigers.

The Tigers again fell behind early, trailing 2-0 after the first and 3-0 headed into the fourth, when FHSU struck back with one.  Beltz led off the inning with a walk, moving to second on a groundout.  From there, Vaupel’s single put runners on the corners with one out and Mackenzie Villarreal reached on an error to lead the bases.  Krier drove in Beltz for the first Tiger run of the game, singling a 1-2 pitch into center field.

ESU added another in the fourth off Danielle Sprinkle’s RBI single, making it 4-1, where it stayed for the rest of the night.

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State senior center Kate Lehman was named the BennettRank.com NCAA Division II Player of the Year on Friday (Apr. 10). She was also named to the BennettRank.com All-America First Team, her fourth All-America First Team honor this year, as she also received the honor from the WBCA, Daktronics/D2 Conference Commissioner’s Association, and Division II Bulletin.

Joining Lehman on the BennettRank.com All-America First Team are Chontiquah White of West Texas A&M, Mariyah Brawner-Henley of Lewis University, Amy Philamlee of Union (Tenn.), and Shaunteva Ashley of Augustana (S.D.). Shareta Brown of Wayne State (Mich.), the National Player of the Year by the WBCA, Daktronics, and Division II Bulletin was named to the second team by BennettRank.com.

BennettRank claimed that Lehman’s accomplishments are more impressive given that Fort Hays State plays in the toughest Division II women’s basketball conference in the nation, the MIAA (which had three of the top five ranked teams in the nation – FHSU, Emporia State, and Pittsburg State). Brown put up impressive numbers of 22.0 points and 14.7 rebounds per game, while shooting a Division II-best 64.9 percent from the field.

In addition to earning the MIAA Player of the Year honors this season, the MIAA named Lehman the Defensive Player of the Year for the third straight season. Lehman averaged 19.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 4.1 blocks per game while recording 55 career double-doubles and three career triple-doubles. Lehman was the first Division II women’s basketball player in history to reach 1,000 career points (1,917), 1,000 career rebounds (1,109) and 500 blocks (515) in a career as she helped the Tigers to the Central Regional Finals of the NCAA Tournament before falling to rival Emporia State.

The methodology to how BennettRank selected its All-America Team can be found at the following link…http://www.bennettrank.com/?p=74152.

Lehman helped FHSU reach new heights in its NCAA Division II history in 2014-15. She helped the Tigers to a record of 30-4 and their first-ever MIAA Regular Season Championship. It was the first-ever 30-win season at the NCAA level for FHSU and it extended a run of four straight seasons in which the program has churned out at least 20 wins, which spanned Lehman’s four years at FHSU. She helped the team to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 10 years and the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament wins, reaching the Sweet 16 (Central Regional Final).

Lehman adds this to the list of post-season honors she has received this year. Below are the honors she has already collected…
-Division II Bulletin All-America First Team
-WBCA National Player of the Year Finalist
-WBCA All-America First Team
-Daktronics/Division II Commissioner’s Association All-America First Team
-Daktronics/Division II Commissioner’s Association Central Region Most Outstanding Player
-Daktronics/Division II Commissioner’s Association All-Central Region First Team
-MIAA Player of the Year
-MIAA Defensive Player of the Year (3^rd straight year)
-All-MIAA First Team (3^rd straight year)
-MIAA All-Defensive Team (3^rd straight year)

Lehman finished 2014-15 with 655 points, 337 rebounds, and 141 blocked shots, while shooting 57.8 percent from the field. Her 515 career blocks ranks second most in NCAA Division II history and she is now the FHSU record holder in career rebounds and blocked shots. She finished second all-time in scoring. She finished fourth all-time at any level of NCAA (Division I, II, or III) in blocked shots.

2014-2015 BENNETTRANK.COM DIVISION II WOMEN‘S BASKETBALL ALLAMERICAN TEAM

FIRST TEAM
– Kate Lehman, Fort Hays State: 6’4″ Center, Sr., Newton, Kan.
– Chontiquah White, West Texas A&M: 5’11” Forward/Center, Sr., Dallas, Texas
– Mariyah Brawner Henley, Lewis: 6’0″ Forward, Jr., Skokie, Ill.
– Amy Philamlee, Union (Tenn.): 5’5″ Guard, Sr., Jonesboro, Ark.
– Shaunteva Ashley, Augustana (S.D.): 5’8″ Guard, Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D.

SECOND TEAM
– Shareta Brown, Wayne State (Mich.): 6’1″ Center, Sr., Pontiac, Mich.
– Morgan Pullins, St. Mary’s (Texas): 6’0″ Forward, Sr., Franklin, Mich.
– Emily Caswell, Caldwell: 6’1″ Forward, Sr., Wakefield, R.I.
– Aquillin Hayes, New Haven: 5’8″ Guard, Sr., Harlem, N.Y.
– Michelle Mitchell, Columbus State: 5’9″ Guard, Jr., Eastman, Ga.

THIRD TEAM
– Jada Blackwell, Cal Poly Pomona: 6’1″ Center, Sr., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
– Erin Chambers, Simon Fraser: 6’1″ Sr., Forward, Mission, B.C., Canada
– Madison Rowland, Queens (N.Y.): 5’10” Forward, Soph., Albany, N.Y.
– Jamie Johnson, Lewis: 5’8″ Guard, Jr., South Holland, Ill.
– Lindsay Stamp, Indiana (Pa.): 5’10” Guard/Forward, Sr., Erie, Pa.

BENNETTRANK.COM PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kate Lehman, Fort Hays State
BENNETTRANK.COM COACH OF THE YEAR: Jenna Eckelberry, Shepherd

The Fort Hays State baseball picked up a walkoff win over Bethany Wednesday at Larks Park. The Tigers score six in the fourth to blow open a two-run game then tack on five in the seventh for the 16-6 run-rule victory.

Kevin Czarnecki hit a three-run homer then Cooper Langley followed with a solo shot to end the game early. Czarnecki also tripled and drove in four. Langley and Austin Unrein both had two hits while driving in three.

Brad Spires allowed three runs on four hits over five innings to pick up the win as the Tigers win for the fifth time in six games and improve to 11-22.

FHSU returns to MIAA play Friday and Saturday with a pair of doubleheaders at Pittsburg State.

FHSU Athletics

Former Fort Hays State wide receiver Ed Williams had a solid showing at Pro Day, held on Wednesday at the Schmidt/Bickle Indoor Training Facility. A scout from the Kansas City Chiefs was on hand to record the results of several Tiger seniors with hopes of continuing their careers at the professional level.

Williams met the standard the scout was looking for in the 40-yard dash, allowing him to get tested in several other evaluations, including the vertical jump, broad jump, 20-yard shuttle, 3-cone drill, 60-yard shuttle, and bench press. Williams continued to have a good showing in all of those evaluations as well.

Following all the tests and measurements, Williams ran routes for the scout to show his ability on the field. He made a couple of great catches where he had to make major adjustments to the thrown passes.

Williams was an All-MIAA First Team selection for the Tigers in 2014 as a senior, finishing with 53 receptions for 946 yards and seven touchdowns. He averaged 17.8 yards per catch. He also received All-Super Region 3 honors from Don Hansen and Beyond Sports Network.

Fort Hays State head men’s soccer coach Brett Parker has announced the signing of eight student-athletes for the 2015 season, all of whom will be incoming freshman for the 2015-16 school year. Two international signees from Asuncion, Paraguay, are part of the class, while two other signees hail from Colorado and Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska each have one representative. By postion, Parker’s signing class breaks down as three midfielders, two forwards, one goalkeeper, one defender and one defender/midfielder hybrid.

The Tigers finished the 2014 campaign at 11-6-4 overall and reached the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season – advancing to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history. The Tigers put together an 11-match unbeaten streak and posted a nine-game winning streak during the season (both school records).

Complete list of the team’s commitments is below…

Tyler Clifton
Freshman, Defender
Wichita, Kan.
Wichita Northwest High School

Zack Estrada
Freshman, Midfielder
Bentonville, Ark.
Bentonville High School

Mauricio Etcheverry
Freshman, Midfielder
Asuncion, Paraguay
Colegio Nuestra Senora del Huerto High School

Cullen Fisch
Freshman, Goalkeeper
La Vista, Neb.
Papillion-La Vista South High School

Fernando Insaurralde
Freshman, Forward
Asuncion, Paraguay
Colegio Nuestra Senora del Huerto High School

Caeser Jones
Freshman, Defender/Midfielder
Denver, Colo.
Cherry Creek High School

Dylan Kintner
Freshman, Forward
Kansas City, Mo.
Park Hill South High School

Louie Sawaged
Freshman, Midfielder
Highlands Ranch, Colo.
Mountain Vista High School