FHSU Sports Information

Fort Hays State football officially released its football schedule for 2014, which will be all MIAA games. With the conference at just 12 teams for football in 2014, the entire 11-game slate will now be conference games. Fort Hays State is looking to improve upon a 6-5 overall record and 4-5 mark in MIAA play from 2013.

See complete schedule below.

The Tigers will enter their fourth year under head coach Chris Brown in 2014. The Tigers have improved by one win overall in each of the last two seasons, going from 4-7 in 2011, to 5-6 in 2012, and then 6-5 last year. The difference for this year compared to the last three is that the Tigers do not have any non-conference games. Southwest Baptist and Lincoln are no longer competing in the MIAA in football, but remain members of the MIAA in all other sports.

Fort Hays State plays five home games in 2014. The Tigers open the season with Central Oklahoma at home, a school it has yet to face in MIAA play since it joined the MIAA in 2012-13. The Tigers did play UCO in 2011 in non-conference play in Edmond and were victorious 38-21. UCO finished last year at 2-8 overall and 2-8 in the MIAA.

FHSU gets another opponent it has yet to face in the MIAA in week two, traveling to Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Okla. It will be just the third meeting all-time between the schools and the first since 1990. Northeastern State won each of the previous meetings, which occurred in 1989 and 1990.

In week three, the Tigers return home to face Lindenwood. FHSU defeated the Lions last year in St. Charles, Mo. by a score of 31-17. Lindenwood spoiled Fort Hays State’s Homecoming in 2012 leaving Hays with a 20-17 win.

In weeks four and five, the Tigers head on the road to face two of the top five teams from the MIAA last year, Pittsburg State and then Washburn. Pittsburg State finished at 10-2 overall, 7-2 in the MIAA, and was the champion of the Mineral Water Bowl. Washburn went 8-3 overall and 7-3 in the MIAA. FHSU has not played Pitt State in two years, but has not defeated PSU since 1978, a span of 20 games. FHSU tied PSU in 1995. Washburn currently owns a five-game win streak on FHSU.

The Tigers return home for Homecoming in week six on October 11 to face Missouri Western. The Griffons finished last year at 8-3 overall and 7-3 in the MIAA. The Griffons own a nine-game win streak against FHSU dating back to 2001.

The Tigers head to in-state rival Emporia State in week seven. The Hornets finished second in the MIAA last year, going 9-2 overall and 9-1 in the MIAA. Emporia State was one of two MIAA teams to play in the NCAA playoffs. The Tigers get the other playoff team the following week in Hays, Northwest Missouri State, which went on to win the national championship in 2013. The Bearcats were a perfect 15-0 overall last year and 10-0 in the MIAA.

Fort Hays State renews its long-time rivalry with Nebraska-Kearney in Kearney during week nine. The Tigers have won the last two meetings with UNK, winning last year 56-17 in Hays. The Lopers finished one game back of FHSU in the MIAA standings last year.

The Tigers finish their home slate in week 10 with Missouri Southern, a school it has not played since 2011. FHSU won the last meeting 29-14 in Hays in Brown’s first year at the helm. The Lions finished at 7-3 overall and 5-3 in the MIAA last year.

FHSU wraps up the 2014 regular season slate at Central Missouri in week 11. The Tigers are looking for their first win over the Mules since joining the MIAA. UCM has won eight straight in the head-to-head.

Game times on the schedule are subject to change pending on which games are selected as MIAA Television Network Games of the Week. Online ticket sales for FHSU home games are planned to begin early in June.

Sep. 4  CENTRAL OKLAHOMA, 7pm
Sep. 13  at Northeastern State, 6pm
Sep. 20 LINDENWOOD, 7pm
Sep. 27 at Pittsburg State, 7pm
Oct. 4 at Washburn, 1pm
Oct. 11 MISSOURI WESTERN (HC), 7pm 
Oct. 18 at Emporia State, 2pm
Oct. 25 NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE, 2pm
Nov. 1 at Nebraska-Kearney, TBD
Nov. 8 MISSOURI SOUTHERN, 2pm
Nov. 15 at Central Missouri, 1:30pm

Home games in bold

FHSU Sports Information

Fort Hays State scored 11 runs and held leads twice, but it was not enough against a red-hot Drury University squad on Wednesday night  in Springfield, Mo. The Panthers ran their win streak to 16 games with a 22-11 run-rule win over FHSU in eight innings. The Tigers moved to 12-21 overall on the season, while Drury improved to 22-7.

The Tigers were just the second team to reach double digits in runs on Drury’s home field this year, tying the most Drury has allowed at home this year. All the offense came early for the Tigers, scoring all 11 runs within the first four innings.

FHSU had an early 2-0 lead on a Horarace Johnson two-run home run in the first. After Drury scored one in the opening frame, Nick Hammeke had a RBI groundout in the second to make it 3-1.

Tiger starter Ty Thomas ran into trouble in the second, giving up three consecutive hits to start the inning and Drury scored four, taking a 5-3 lead to the third inning. The Tigers answered though with two runs in the third to tie the game 5-5, getting back-to-back doubles from Gus Strunk and Clayton Garland to produce the first run an a double by Cooper Langley later in the inning to score Garland.

Thomas got the first Drury batter out in the third, but then a walk, two-run homer, hit batter, and walk ended his day. Drew Martineau entered in relief and the Panthers scored five before the inning was over. Thomas was charged with nine runs (eight earned) on seven hits and two walks with one strikeout. Drury led 10-5 heading to the fourth.

The Tigers answered the big inning of the Panthers with six runs in the fourth to take the lead back at 11-10. Three straight singles from Hammeke, Jordan Miller, and Strunk triggered the rally. Strunk picked up an RBI on his hit, Garland followed with a sacrifice fly RBI, and then Johnson singled home a run. Kevin Czarnecki had a single and Langley followed with a two-RBI double to tie the game. Casey Sedbrook pushed the Tigers into the lead with a RBI single.

Martineau held the Drury offense scoreless in the fourth, the first half inning in the game without a run scored, but he then ran into trouble in the fifth allowing a home run and two singles to open the inning. Nathan Zimmerman came on in relief and Drury went on to put up five runs in the inning, taking the lead back at 15-11. Martineau finished with 1.2 innings of relief, allowing four runs on six hits and a walk. He would eventually be tagged with the loss and he is now 0-1 on the season.

Brian Quasebarth was the answer Drury needed out of the bullpen to hold the Tiger offense silent. Stopping the rally in the fourth, he went on to throw 2.2 innings and hold the Tigers to just one hit and one walk, picking up his first win and decision of the season. The Tigers faced three more relievers and only managed two hits over their combined two innings of work.

Drury went on to score three in the seventh, all charged to Zimmerman who finished with five runs allowed (four earned) on six hits and two walks. The Panthers walked off by run-rule in the eighth with a grand slam off Tiger reliever Nathan Briar, who threw 1.1 innings allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits and one walk with two strikeouts.

The Tigers take a day off before starting the four-game conference series at Southwest Baptist on Friday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 pm in Bolivar, Mo.

FHSU Sports Information

Despite battling health issues, Fort Hays State defeated Hastings College by a score of 6-3 on Tuesday (Apr. 8) in Hastings, Neb. The Tigers were without McKenzie Haynes due to illness and still without Camille Caron-Bedard due to injury, but managed to win six of the seven matches played to secure the non-conference win. The Tigers moved to 7-8 overall on the season.

The Tigers took both of the doubles matches contested to go up 2-1 early. The No. 1 team of Brittney Ricci and Katie Hipp won 8-0 and the No. 2 team of Michelle Miller and Reinette Strydom won 8-1. FHSU had to forfeit the No. 3 doubles match with just five players available on the day.

Fort Hays State won the No. 1 through No. 4 singles matches to secure the win. Brittney Ricci defeated Elizabeth Harlow at No. 1 6-2, 6-0 and Michelle Miller won at No. 2 over Whitney Bridger by shutout, 6-0, 6-0. At No. 3, Katie Hipp allowed just two points, winning 6-1, 6-1 over Hallie Bauer, and at No. 4 Reinette Strydom defeated Bailey Christy 6-3, 6-1.Raven Dick was the only Tiger to fall in singles play in a couple of tight contested sets, 7-5, 7-5 to Molly Mitchell at No. 5. FHSU had to forfeit at No. 6.

The Tigers return to conference play this weekend in Hays in the final two home matches of the season. FHSU hosts Emporia State on Friday (Apr. 11) at 2 pm, then Washburn on Saturday (Apr. 12) at 10 am. The Tigers are currently eighth in the MIAA standings.

By GERARD WELLBROCK

The Fort Hays State football team held their second scrimmage of the spring Saturday morning at Lewis Field. Quarterback Treveon Albert threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown on the No. 1 offense first possession but responded with 70-yard scoring drive, ending in a 29-yard touchdown pass to tight end Zach Gaughan.

Listen below as coach Chris Brown talks about the scrimmage and his team’s spring camp…

The Tigers close out spring camp with their spring scrimmage next Saturday at 2pm.

By GERARD WELLBROCK

Fort Hays State came up short in their effort to win their first conference series this season, losing 16-6 to Central Oklahoma Saturday in Edmond in a game called after eight innings by run rule. The loss gives the Tigers their fourth straight series split since losing nine straight. They are now 12-20 overall and 10-18 in the MIAA. The second-place Bronchos improve t0 24-9 and 19-9 in the conference.

The Broncos hit three doubles and took advantage of a Tiger error to take a 3-0 lead in the first. Central added another run in the second before Fort Hays State scored in the third on a James Denton home run to make it a 4-1 game.

UCO would answer with three home runs and score seven unearned runs in the bottom of the inning to go up 11-1. Reliever Steven Federau gave up a three-run homer and Nathan Zimmerman a three-run and two-run blast.

The Tigers would score three in the fourth on an Austin Unrein sac fly and James Denton two-run homer to close the gap to 11-4. It would remain that way until the sixth when UCO scored three. The Tigers avoided a run-rule with two in the top of the seventh on a Kevin Czarnecki single and Unrein double.

The Bronchos plated two in the eighth to end the game an inning early.

Kevin Czarnecki went 3-for-4 while James Denton drove in three and Austin Unrein two. Joe Mapes takes the loss. The Tiger starter allowed four runs, two earned, on five hits over two innings.

 

 

FHSU Sports Information

The Tigers’ softball team split its conference doubleheader with Northwest Missouri State on Saturday.  Fort Hays State dropped the first game, 7-4, in Maryville, Mo., before rallying late to win in extra innings, 3-2, in Game 2.

FHSU snapped a four-game losing streak with the win, moving to 23-16 on the season and 12-8 in the MIAA.  NWMSU is now 15-19 overall and 8-8 in the conference.

FHSU returns to the field next weekend, April 11-12 with road doubleheaders at Missouri Southern on Friday (April 11) and Pittsburg State on Saturday (April 12).

Game 1: NWMSU 7, FHSU 4
Fort Hays State fell behind early and couldn’t recover, dropping a 7-4 contest in Game 1 of a doubleheader with Northwest Missouri State.

Paxton Duran (13-7) took the loss, throwing 2.2 innings and giving up four runs on five hits. Katlyn Kern entered in the third, allowing two runs on four hits in 1.1 innings before Kelsey Kimminau closed out the final two innings, giving up a run on three hits with two strikeouts.

Samantha Villarreal had two home runs and three RBI in the game, finishing 3-of-3 at the plate. Bianca Adame, Danie Brinkmann and Kellsi Olsen were all 1-for-3 in the game.

NWMSU took a 2-0 lead in the first as Stephanie Mark hit a two-run shot to left field.

Leading off the second, Villarreal cut the lead in half (2-1) with a solo shot to left center – her third home run of the season.  FHSU had two more reach in the inning, but were stranded in the scoring threat.

In the third, NWMSU added another two runs, taking advantage of three singles and two FHSU errors to stretch the lead to 3-1.

Villarreal answered in the fourth with her second home run of the day, lining a shot over the center field to pull the Tigers back within two, 4-2.

Mark’s 2-RBI single in the bottom of the fourth put the Bearcats up by four (6-2) before the Tigers again climbed back within striking distance in the fifth.

Olsen led off the inning with a bunt single, reaching second on Adame’s sacrifice bunt, and with two outs, Brinkman’s single up the middle plated Olsen to shrink the deficit to 6-3.  Villarreal followed with her third hit of the day, a single into center field that skipped past NWSU’s Jordan Ereth, allowing Kelli Koehler (who pinch ran for Brinkmann) to score.

A solo home run from Madison Jones in the fifth gave NWMSU back a three-run lead (7-4) that the Tigers couldn’t overcome.

Game 2: FHSU 3, NWMSU 2, 8 innings
Fort Hays State rallied late to force extras, clinching the victory with an eighth inning run to defeat Northwest Missouri State, 3-2, in the doubleheader finale.

Kelsey Kimminau started the second game, tossing four innings and giving up two runs on four hits, striking out one. Jordan Jones threw into the sixth, totaling 1.1 innings with two strikeouts before Paxton Duran replaced her.  Duran threw the final 2.2 innings for the win, striking out two while moving to 14-7 this season.

Bianca Adame was 2-for-4 with a run while Courtney Dobson was 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI. Kylie Strand and Callie Wright each went 1-for-3, with Wright supplying the game-tying RBI double.

NWMSU took a 2-0 lead in the third, using three hits, including Stephanie Mark’s RBI double, to score two runs.

In the sixth, Dobson took a pitch off the left field scoreboard to put FHSU back within one, down 2-1.  It was Dobson’s first home run of the season.

FHSU put together late inning drama to tie the game, starting with Strand’s two out single in the seventh.  Strand came all the way around on Wright’s RBI double in the next at-bat, knotting it at 2-all and forcing extra innings.

Adame led off the eighth with a single to shortstop, and while stealing second, advanced to third on an overthrow by the catcher.  Dobson’s pop up to the second baseman went into the outfield, causing an off-balanced catch that allowed Adame to come home and give FHSU its first lead of the afternoon, 3-2.

After NWMSU loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth, Amanda Vaupel’s diving catch in center field sealed the victory.

FHSU Sports Inf0rmation

Fort Hays State Softball dropped a conference doubleheader on Friday (April 4) at Missouri Western, falling in Game 1, 3-0, before dropping the finale, 5-2.

FHSU drops to 22-15 on the season and 11-7 in the MIAA while Missouri Western is now 24-14 (9-7 MIAA).

Fort Hays State continues its road trip Saturday with a doubleheader at Northwest Missouri State.  Game action in Maryville, Mo., is set for Noon and 2 p.m.

Game 1: Missouri Western 3, FHSU 0
Fort Hays State struggled at the plate as it dropped Game 1 of a doubleheader with Missouri Western, 3-0.

Paxton Duran took the loss, falling to 13-6 on the season after allowing three runs on eight hits, striking out seven batters.

FHSU mustered just three hits in the first game, as Bianca Adame went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases to lead the offense. Amanda  Vaupel’s single in the fifth was the Tigers’ other hit on the day.

Missouri Western’s Tiffany Gillaspy hit a solo shot with two outs in the first to give the Griffons an early lead.  That advantage stretched to 2-0 in the fourth as MWUS’s Katie Klosterman hit a double and later came home on Bre Fleschner’s RBI single.

The Griffons’ final run came in the fifth, as MWSU put the game away off of two hits and a walk for a run.

Down 3-0 with one out in the sixth, Adame singled through the right side before stealing second and taking third on an overthrow, but two straight strikeouts ended FHSU’s threat.

Game 2: Missouri Western 5, FHSU 2
A five-run second was too much for the Tigers to overcome as it dropped Game 2 of the doubleheader, 5-2, on Friday.

Sarah Cochran dropped to 0-2 on the year, tagged for four runs and three hits in 1.2 innings thrown. Kelsey Kimminau entered in the second, tossing the final 4.1 with a strikeout and scattering four hits for a run.

Danie Brinkmann finished 2-for-2 with a double, a run and a walk for the game, while Jenna Lang was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Amanda Vaupel had an RBI double as well.

MWSU’s offense alive came in the second, racking up five runs on four hits to chase Cochran from the game and take the lead for good.

With one out in the sixth, Brinkmann and Vaupel hit back-to-back doubles to get on the scoreboard, down 5-1.  Brinkmann’s double to left center was followed by Vaupel’s RBI double into left, scoring Brinkmann.  Later in the inning with two outs, Lang’s double to center field plated Vaupel, cutting the deficit to three (5-2).

FHSU Sports Information

Fort Hays State baseball split a pair of games decided by one run on Saturday at Central Oklahoma, dropping game one 2-1 before winning game two 5-4. Fort Hays State moved to 12-19 overall and 10-17 in the MIAA with the split, while UCO moved to 23-9 overall, 18-9 in the MIAA.

Game 1: Central Oklahoma 2, Fort Hays State 1
Following a slugfest on Thursday afternoon that saw the Tigers and Bronchos combine for 40 runs, the teams locked up in a pitcher’s duel in the first game on Friday, pitting Ricky Reeves of UCO against Tyler Patty of FHSU.

The Bronchos took the lead in the second inning with a fielder’s choice RBI from Wacey Henderson. The Bronchos collected three hits through the first three innings, but Patty held them hitless in the fourth and fifth, keeping the game at 1-0 in favor of UCO through five innings.

Reeves of UCO had a no-hitter going through 5.2 innings, but FHSU made UCO pay for an error at the start of the sixth as Gus Strunk broke up the no-no with a two-out RBI double to tie the game 1-1.

Patty looked as though he’d get the Tigers to the seventh still knotted at 1-1 by getting the first two batters of the sixth out, but UCO rallied with a walk and then a pair of singles to make it 2-1. Brad Lamberti had the go-ahead RBI single for the Bronchos.

Horace Johnson led off the seventh with a single and moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kevin Czarnecki but the Tigers could not get the tying run across falling by a run.

In his 6.0 innings of work, Patty allowed two runs on five hits, walked three, and struck out two. Reeves went 6.1 innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits and struck out five. Phillip Wilson got the final two outs of the game for UCO to pick up the save.

Game 2: Fort Hays State 5, Central Oklahoma 4
Fort Hays State starting pitcher Austin Unrein had a great outing in the second game to help the Tigers gain a split with Bronchos in Friday’s doubleheader. After allowing one run in the first inning, Unrein settled in to hold UCO scoreless for five consecutive innings.

The Tiger offense took advantage of an error that would have ended the top of the second inning, but it resulted in a run scoring to tie the game. Clayton Garland then made the error hurt by driving a single back up the middle to score two more runs and make it 3-1 in favor of FHSU.

With Unrein keeping the Bronchos off the board, the Tigers tacked on two more in the top of the seventh. Cooper Langley had a double, then Gabe Cook followed that with an RBI triple and James Denton knocked him in with a sacrifice fly to make it 5-1 Tigers with just a half inning to go in the game.

Like they did on Thursday, the Bronchos did not go away without a fight. Unrein walked the first batter in the seventh, which ended his day on the mound. Gabe Cook came in looking to shut the door. Cook got the first batter he faced looking at strike three, but then he gave up a double and then a single, making it 5-2. A walk loaded the bases, then a groundout pushed another run across making it 5-3 with runners at second and third. A wild pitch allowed another run to come in and the Tigers were clinging to a 5-4 lead. On a 3-2 count, Cook got the batter to line out to first base and end the game.

Unrein improved to 3-1 on the season with the win. He allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out one. Cook allowed two runs on two hits and a walk with one strikeout.

Mason Justice took the loss for UCO, going 3.0 innings. All three of his runs allowed in the second were unearned. He allowed five hits and three walks, but struck out six. Tanner Ferrell gave up the final two runs to the Tigers in the seventh.

The Tigers look to take three out of four games in the series on Saturday (Apr. 5) when the teams meet at 12 pm.

FHSU Sports Information

Fort Hays State prevailed in an offensive slugfest on Thursday afternoon (Apr. 3) at Central Oklahoma by a score of 21-19. The Tigers snapped Central Oklahoma’s 11-game home win streak and won its fourth straight game, moving to 11-18 overall and 9-16 in the MIAA. Central Oklahoma moved to 22-8 overall and 17-8 in the MIAA.

The 40 runs produced by the two teams were most in a Fort Hays State game since April 22, 2011 when Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Omaha combined for 46 at Larks Park (FHSU fell in that game 26-20 in 10 innings). The 21 runs by Fort Hays State were second-most under head coach Steve Johnson. The most was 25 against Pittsburg State in a 25-5 win in 2012.

Clayton Garland got the scoring started in the top of the first with a RBI double, but UCO responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first to lead by one. After UCO added two more in the second to make it 4-1, the Tigers answered back with four runs in the top of the third to take a 5-4 lead. Horace Johnson had a sacrifice fly RBI to pull the Tigers within two and a three-run Cooper Langley home run pushed the Tigers in front.

The lead changed hands once again in the fourth when UCO plated four runs, taking the lead back at 8-5. However, the Tigers had a big response to that with 11 runs in the top of the fifth, thanks to a UCO error that ballooned into 10 unearned runs. Garland opened the inning with a single and came in to score with one out on a Kevin Czarnecki RBI single. With two outs and the bases loaded, UCO committed an error off the bat of Austin Unrein that should have been the end of the inning, but two runs scored on the error and tied the game at 8-8.

Following the error, Jordan Miller had a RBI bunt single to put the Tigers in front 9-8 and Gus Strunk followed with a RBI single to make it 10-8. Garland walked in his second plate appearance of the inning and then Johnson cleared the bases with a three-RBI double to make it 13-8. Johnson came in to score on a play where the Bronchos made two errors, pushing the score to 14-8, then Langley hit his second homer of the game, a two-run shot, to make it 16-8.

In the sixth, the Tigers tacked on five more runs. FHSU opened the frame with a hit by pitch and two walks to load the bases. Strunk followed with a RBI single and then Garland pushed in another run with a bases-loaded walk. Miller came home on a wild pitch and then Johnson had a RBI groundout and Czarnecki had a RBI single, making it 21-8 in favor of FHSU going to the bottom of the sixth.

Unfortunately, that would be the end of the scoring for FHSU and UCO did not go quietly. A two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth made it 21-10. The Tigers had a chance to end the game in the seventh by run-rule, leading by 11, but UCO put that notion to bed quickly with a single, a runner reaching by error, and a three-run homer immediately making it 21-13. A solo homer and a two-RBI single later in the inning cut into the lead even more, making it 21-16 heading to the eighth.

UCO kept the pressure on in the bottom of the eighth, the first batter reaching by error and then coming around to score later on another error. Three singles later, the Bronchos had trimmed the lead to 21-18, but a strikeout-caught stealing combo ended the threat.

The Bronchos had a full head of steam going into the bottom of the ninth and started the inning with a double and single to put runners at first and third immediately. But reliever Gabe Cook was up to the challenge as he limited the Bronchos to a sacrifice fly to make it 21-19, then got a strikeout and a flyout to end the game earning his third save of the season. All three of his saves have been in the current four-game win streak for the Tigers.

Fort Hays State used five pitchers in the game. Starter Steven Federau went 2.0 innings, allowing four runs on six hits. Joe Mapes relieved for 1.1 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on two hits and a walk. Nathan Briar, who picked up the win in relief (now 2-1), allowed seven runs (five earned) on eight hits with one strikeout in 3.0 innings of work. Nick Hammeke went 0.2 innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits with one strikeout. Cook finished the game for FHSU, going 2.0 innings with one run allowed on three hits, but struck out three.

Central Oklahoma used seven pitchers in the game. Starter Landon Hallam lasted 2.2 innings, allowing four runs on two hits and three walks, but struck out three. Andrew Davis relieved for 1.1 innings and allowed one run on one hit with a strikeout. Tyler Price, who took the loss (now 1-1), allowed five runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 0.2 innings. Joe Hollowell went 0.1 innings and allowed six runs (zero earned) on four hits and a walk with one strikeout. Will Kilpatrick could not record an out and was charged with five runs on one hit with three walks. Dennis Morelli stopped the bleeding for UCO by going 3.0 scoreless innings with two hits and two strikeouts. Tanner Ferrell pitched a clean ninth inning, recording two strikeouts.

The teams combined for nine errors in the game (5 for FHSU, 4 for UCO), making a total of 16 unearned runs in the game. The Tigers took advantage of eight walks and four hit-by-pitches as they only produced 13 hits in the game in comparison to their 21 runs. With the Tigers allowing just one walk and one hit batter in the game, UCO had 23 hits to go with its 19 runs.

Horace Johnson and Cooper Langley led FHSU with five RBI each. Gus Strunk, Clayton Garland and Kevin Czarnecki all had two and Jordan Miller added one.

Matt Johnson led UCO with four RBI, while three other Bronchos had three RBI.

The teams return to action on Friday in a doubleheader, starting at 1:30 pm in Edmond.

FHSU Sports Information

Fort Hays State Softball received seven votes in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) poll, down two votes from last week’s release.  The rankings, released Wednesday (April 2), have FHSU slated as one of three MIAA teams earning national recognition.

The Tigers have been ranked as high as 13th nationally this season, and are joined in this week’s poll by MIAA opponents Emporia State, which remained in the Top 10 at No. 7, and Central Oklahoma, which received 18 votes.

FHSU hits the road this weekend for conference doubleheaders with Missouri Western on Friday (April 4) in St. Joseph, Mo., and Northwest Missouri State on Saturday (April 5) in Marysville, Mo.

The complete NFCA Rankings for April 2 are below…

Rank	Team	Record	Totals	Last Poll
1	West Texas A&M (14)	31-4	398	1
2	California Baptist (2)	32-7	380	2
3	Tampa	27-4	346	4
4	Armstrong Atlantic State	26-8	343	3
5	St. Mary’s (TX)	36-4	334	5
6	Wayne State (MI)	20-4	303	7
7	Emporia State	30-7	299	9
8	Humboldt State	28-9	297	6
9	Alabama-Huntsville	25-6	273	8
10	Missouri-St. Louis	22-3	232	10
11	Angelo State	28-9	224	12
12	North Georgia	32-8	217	15
13	Augustana (SD)	22-5	210	11
14	Caldwell	11-1	198	13
15	Cal St. Monterey Bay	26-5	169	16
16	Shippensburg	17-3	145	17
17	Valdosta State	29-9	123	18
18	Lenoir Rhyne	27-8	106	14
19	Winona State	19-3	97	20
20	UC San Diego	22-6	90	19
21	Truman State	24-5	84	25
22	LIU Post	15-3	61	23
23	West Va. Wesleyan	20-6	58	21
24	Palm Beach Atlantic	22-7	48	22
25	Texas Woman’s Univ.	24-12	32	RV

Dropped Out of Poll:  No. 24 Midwestern State (23-13)

Others Receiving Votes: North Alabama (21), Central Oklahoma (18), New Haven (18), Dixie State (13), Georgia College (11), Indianapolis (9), Bellarmine (8), Fort Hays State (7), Western Oregon (6), Midwestern State (5), Central Washington (4), West Virginia State (4), Urbana (3), Rollins (2), Sonoma State (2), Minnesota State Mankato (1), Southern New Hampshire (1).

FHSU Sports Information

Fort Hays State won its third consecutive game on Wednesday night in a non-conference contest at Newman University. The Tigers won by a score of 10-6 in eight innings, the game shortened by an inning due to lightning then heavy rain. Fort Hays State improved to 10-18 overall on the season, while Newman went to 14-15.

Fort Hays State capitalized on three Newman errors in the first inning to take a 3-0 lead. Austin Unrein reached base by an error, then scored on an error by a Newman outfielder on a single by Clayton Garland. Garland got all the way to third on the error, then scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Horace Johnson, which was dropped by the outfielder. After getting to second base, Johnson came in to score on a Gabe Cook single. The FHSU lead grew to 4-0 in the second with an RBI single by Garland.

Newman got on the board with a run in the second, then held the Tigers scoreless for the next three innings. That was long enough to get the score tied at 4-4 by the end of the fifth as the Jets scored one in the fourth and two in the fifth.

The Tigers moved back in front 5-4 on a James Denton two-out RBI double in the sixth and then took advantage of two walks in the seventh to score three runs on back-to-back-to-back singles from Cooper Langley, Cook and Denton to make it 8-4.

Newman got its first two on in the bottom of the seventh and pushed both across to make it 8-6, but the Tigers got both runs back in the top of the eighth when Jordan Miller scored on a wild pitch and Johnson produced his second sacrifice fly RBI of the game.

FHSU reliever Gus Strunk worked around a pair of singles in the eighth, getting a strikeout and fly out to end the threat, keeping the score at 10-6. Strunk entered the game in the seventh and allowed one of the two Newman runs in that frame.

Just as the top of the ninth began, a storm cell rolled into the west side of Wichita causing the game to be delayed and eventually called after a downpour made the field unplayable.

The Tigers continue their road trip with the four-game conference series at Central Oklahoma, starting on Thursday afternoon at 3 pm.

FHSU Sports Information

Fort Hays State junior Trey Herman maintained his lead in the MIAA Individual Points Standings by helping Fort Hays State to a ninth-place finish at the UCO Invitational in Oklahoma City, Okla. Herman finished eighth as an individual, generating nine more points towards his individual point-standing total with just one more conference event to go – the MIAA Championship (April 21-23) in Lawrence, Kan.

Complete results from the UCO Invitational as well as MIAA standings are listed below.

Herman entered the UCO Invitational, played at Gaillardia Country Club – a par 72, 7255-yard venue in Oklahoma City, with a three-point lead in the individual standings on Lance Lawson of Nebraska-Kearney. Lawson and five others in the top 10 heading into the tournament did not generate any points due to finishing outside the top 15.

Herman is now just one of six players with the opportunity to become the MIAA Player of the Year, leading the point standings by five points. Herman leads the way with 35 points, followed by Travis Mays of Central Missouri (30), Ryan Dyck of Lindenwood (26.5), Lance Lawson of Nebraska-Kearney (23), Teddy Jones of Central Missouri (22.5), and Michael Colgate of Nebraska-Kearney (20). With Herman’s point total where it is, the other five individuals listed above are the only ones remaining that can mathematically catch Herman in the standings.

Herman needed a solid score in the final round on Tuesday and got the job done, posting a 2-over round of 74 following his scores of 81 (+9) and 70 (-2) on the first day. He started the day in 10th and moved up to eighth with a total of 225 (9-over par), securing nine points to stay in the point-standing lead. Herman couples his eighth-place finish this week (9 points) with a tie for second at the first MIAA event of the year (13.5 points) and a tie for third at the second MIAA event of the year (12.5 points) to stay atop the standings.

Central Oklahoma won the UCO Invitational as a team with a three-round total of 891. Central Missouri was second at 896 and Northeastern State was third at 903. FHSU shot a total of 958. Teddy Jones of Central Missouri was the individual champion with a total of 217 (1-over par).

Grant Storey, who was the only Tiger to shoot below 80 in the opening round, finished in a tie for 33rd with a three-round total of 238. He had rounds of 78, 77, and 83. Mark Cunningham II was 42nd with a total of 240, carding rounds of 82, 79, and 79. Nick VonLintel was 63rd with a total of 255, finishing with rounds of 84, 83, and 88. Sam Christianson was 66th with a total of 268, carding rounds of 85, 94, and 89.

With a ninth-place finish, FHSU generated just four points in the MIAA team standings, slipping from third to sixth after three MIAA sanctioned events. Entering the tournament just 2.5 points behind Central Missouri for first, FHSU (22.5 points) is now 9.5 points behind UCM (33 points). Nebraska-Kearney remained second (29 points), Northeastern State jumped from fifth to third (27 points), Lindenwood stayed in fourth (26 points), and Central Oklahoma jumped from seventh to fifth (24 points). At each MIAA event so far this year, first place receives 12 points, second place 11, third place 10, and so forth, but at the MIAA Championships, the points are doubled, creating two-point gaps between each placing.

The Tigers take a week off before one last tune-up heading into the MIAA Championships. FHSU plays at the Embassy Suites Invitational, hosted by Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo. (Apr. 14-15) before heading to Alvamar Golf Club in Lawrence, Kan. for the MIAA Championships (April 21-23).

UCO Invitational results below…

Team Standings (Conference points in parenthesis)
1.    Central Oklahoma (12) – 291-296-304=891 (+27)
2.    Central Missouri (11) – 306-287-303=896 (+32)
3.    Northeastern State (10) – 301-301-301=903 (+39)
T4. Nebraska-Kearney (8.5) – 309-303-317=929 (+65)
T4. Lindenwood (8.5) – 304-311-314=929 (+65)
6.     Missouri Western (7) – 317-315-309=941 (+77)
7.     Missouri Southern (6) – 326-304-312=942 (+78)
8.     Lincoln (5) – 320-316-321=957 (+93)
9.     Fort Hays State (4) – 325-309-324=958 (+94)
10. Washburn (3) – 330-312-317=959 (+95)
11. Pittsburg State (2) – 328-316-317=961 (+97)
12. Southwest Baptist (1) – 334-322-325=981 (+117)

Individual Standings (Conference points in parenthesis)
1.    Teddy Jones, Central Missouri (15) – 75-69-72=217 (+1)
T2. Brad Hager, Northeastern State (13.5) – 71-72-75=218 (+2)
T2. Eric Kline, Central Oklahoma (13.5) – 70-73-75=218 (+2)
4.    Landon Morgan, Central Oklahoma* – 77-72-73=221 (+5)
5.    Logan Gray, Central Oklahoma (12) – 73-71-78=222 (+6)
6.    Joby Gray, Central Oklahoma (11) – 74-75-74=223 (+7)
7.    Travis Mays, Central Missouri (10) – 74-71-79=224 (+8)
8.    Trey Herman, Fort Hays State (9) – 81-70-74=225 (+9)
T9. Eric Lester, Nebraska-Kearney (7) – 73-75-80=228 (+12)
T9. Alex Springer, Central Missouri (7) – 77-73-78=228 (+12)
T9. Brent Williamson, Northeastern State (7) – 75-78-75=228 (+12)
T12. Ryan Dyck, Lindenwood (4) – 76-75-78=229 (+13)
T12. Russ Purser, Central Oklahoma (4) – 75-77-77=229 (+13)
T12. Jake Smock, Lindenwood (4) – 79-78-72=229 (+13)
T15. Matt Helms, Central Oklahoma (0.75) – 74-78-78=230 (+14)
T15. Robby Hughey, Central Missouri (0.75) – 79-74-77=230 (+14)
T15. Tyler McKay, Lindenwood* – 79-73-78=230 (+14)
T15. Clayton Moles, Southwest Baptist (0.75) – 78-74-78=230 (+14)
T15. Cy Moritz, Central Missouri  (0.75) – 79-75-76=230 (+14)
*=Played as an individual

Official MIAA Individual and Team Standings are listed below… 

Team Standings (through three events)
1.   Central Missouri (32.0)
2.    Nebraska-Kearney (29.0)
3.   Northeastern State (27.0)
4.   Lindenwood (26.0)
5.   Central Oklahoma (24.0)
6.   Fort Hays State (22.5)
7.   Washburn (18.0)
8.    Missouri Southern (17.5)
9.    Missouri Western (16.0)
10.  Lincoln (12.0)
11.  Pittsburg State (7.0)
12.  Southwest Baptist (3.0)

Individual Standings (through three events)
Trey Herman, Fort Hays State (35.0)
Travis Mays, Central Missouri (30.0)
Ryan Dyck, Lindenwood (26.5)
Lance Lawson, Nebraska-Kearney (23.0)
Teddy Jones, Central Missouri (22.5)
Michael Colgate, Nebraska-Kearney (20.0)
Jake Smock, Lindenwood (17.5)
Max Lazzo, Washburn (15.0)
Eric Kline, Central Oklahoma (15.0)
Sam Migdal, Central Missouri (14.0)
Brad Hager, Northeastern State (13.5)
Logan Gray, Central Oklahoma (12.25)
Cy Moritz, Central Missouri (11.75)
Brian Lillevold, Lincoln (11.5)
Joby Gray, Central Oklahoma (11.0)
Dan Bonnell, Nebraska-Kearney (10.0)
Konnor Oltman, Nebraska-Kearney (7.5)
Alex Springer, Central Missouri (7.0)
Brent Williamson, Northeastern State (7.0)
Eric Lester, Nebraska-Kearney (7.0)
Tate Williamson, Northeastern State (5.75)
Garrett Blair, Lindenwood (5.5)
Jackson Hess, Northeastern State (4.0)
Ryan Johnson, Washburn (4.0)
Taylor Lansford, Missouri Southern (4.0)
Scott Sheldon, Missouri Western (4.0)
Josh Strimple, Northeastern State (4.0)
Max Rudder, Nebraska-Kearney (3.5)
Russ Purser, Central Oklahoma (5.5)
Matt Helm, Central Oklahoma (0.75)
Robby Hughey, Central Missouri (0.75)
Clayton Moles, Southwest Baptist (0.75)
Andrew Meier, Missouri Southern (0.25)
Ronnie McHenry, Washburn (0.25)