It took a second championship game on Sunday, but the Fort Hays State softball team battled from an early 2-0 deficit to win 7-4 to seal the MIAA Tournament Championship and possibly its chance to be a host location for the Central Regional of the NCAA Tournament next week. Fort Hays State fell in game one 1-0 before overtaking the Hornets in game two to move to 45-10 overall on the season.

Erin Kinberger Postgame Interview

Game 1: Emporia State 1, Fort Hays State 0
Game one was a pitcher’s dual between Maddie Holub and Karley Schmelzer of Emporia State. The teams were locked in a scoreless tie through six innings until ESU broke through with a run in the seventh. The leadoff batter was hit by a pitch, then came in to score on a pinch hit, two-out RBI single by Jessica Gragg.

Schmelzer pitched her second straight shutout of the day after defeating Central Oklahoma 1-0 in the elimination game just prior to determine the Tigers’ opponent.

Holub took just her second loss of the season, going to 27-2 overall. She allowed six hits and struck out seven. Schmelzer moved to 30-8 on the season with the win with three hits and five walks allowed and nine strikeouts.

Game 2: Fort Hays State 7, Emporia State 4
Emporia State grabbed the momentum in game two out of the gate when Tricia Vogel hit a two-run home run in the first inning for a 2-0 lead.

From that point, freshman starting pitcher Paxton Duran settled in to hold the Hornets scoreless over the next three innings. She allowed five hits and struck out two. The Tigers capitalized on a Hornet error in the third when Bianca Adame struck out on a ball in the dirt, but an errant throw down the right field line from the ESU catcher allowed her to go all the way to third base on the error. Freshman Courtney Dobson made the Hornets pay with a two-out RBI single to make it 2-1.

Jordan Jones relieved Duran in the fifth and worked around an error to start the inning to keep the Hornets’ offense at bay.

Karley Schmelzer was pitching for the third straight game for ESU and the Tigers finally broke through against her in the fifth. Jenna Lang triggered the rally with a single and then Kellsi Olsen was hit by a pitch. Bianca Adame then singled up the middle to load the bases with one out.

Dobson proved to be clutch once again for the Tigers, flaring a single into left center field to tie the game at 2-2. Maddie Holub followed with a RBI single to right field to give FHSU its first lead of the day. Danie Brinkmann promptly followed with a RBI single up the middle, then Amanda Vaupel hit a missle to the right-center gap to plate two more runs and make it 6-2. The Tigers strung together five consecutive hits in the outburst.

Fort Hays State tacked on an insurance run in the sixth as Jenna Lang scored from second base on a throwing error by Schmelzer to first base.

Holub entered the game to pitch after the five-run inning and she pushed the Tigers to victory over the last two innings. Despite giving up a two-out, two-run home run in the seventh, she did not have any other trouble closing the door on Fort Hays State’s first-ever MIAA Tournament Championship in softball. It’s the first conference championship for FHSU softball since 2003 when the Tigers won the RMAC Tournament.

The NCAA Tournament selection show will be at 9:30 am on Monday morning. The Tigers will find out their first round opponent and site at that time. This is the second-ever appearance for FHSU in the NCAA Tournament.

-FHSU Sports Information-

Missouri Western answered a huge Fort Hays State sixth inning with five runs of their own and piled on two more in the eighth to punch their ticket to Kansas City.

Steve Johnson Postgame Interview

For the Griffons Michael Schulze went three for five with three runs scored. Bubba Dotson was one for four with two runs scored and two driven in. Kyle Simpson went three for five with two RBI. Spencer Shockley was three for four with five runs driven in. On the mound Mason Queen earned the win pitching 3.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

Game Highlights

For the Tigers Ryan Busboom had a grand slam finishing the game with four RBI. Kelton Rule was one for four with two runs driven in. Sam Thornton went one for four with two runs driven in as well.

The Tigers end their season 23-22.

– MIAA Media Relations –

Max Alonso and Cory Keehn of the Fort Hays State men’s track and field team were victorious in their respective events on Saturday at the MIAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Hays, Kan. Alonso won the discus setting a new MIAA Championships and school record, while Keehn won the 10,000 meters.

Alonso had a huge throw of 190-feet, 10-inches, setting a new MIAA Championships record and FHSU record. The throw also moved him to No. 1 on the national performance list. The distance broke his old school record he set in 2011 by seven inches.

Keehn won the 10,000 meters in a time of 31.35.70. He was nearly five seconds better than Bryan Hill of Nebraska-Kearney. Keehn adds another MIAA championship to his collection this academic year as he was the individual champion at the MIAA Men’s Cross Country Championships in the fall.

The pair helped generate 20 of Fort Hays State’s 26 points scored on Saturday. The Tigers are in fifth out of eight teams to generate points on Saturday. Pittsburg State leads the way with 50 points, followed by Missouri Southern with 47.5 and Central Missouri and Nebraska-Kearney each had 32 in third.

– FHSU Sports Information –

The Fort Hays State Tiger softball team advanced to the MIAA Tournament Championship Game Saturday with wins over Missouri Western and Central Oklahoma.

Game 1: FHSU 3, Missouri Western 0

In the first game of the day, two of the top pitchers in the MIAA dueled to a scoreless tie into the top-half of the seventh inning before FHSU’s Amanda Vaupel hit a three-run home run propelling the Tigers to a 3-0 win.

The Fort Hays bats were held at bay through six innings by Griffons’ starter Jackie Bishop, she did not allow a hit until Courtney Dobson singled to lead off the seventh. Missouri Western intentionally walked Maddie Holub and Danie Brinkmann reached on a fielder choice trying to move Dobson to third. Amanda Vaupel followed with her sixth homerun of the season putting FHSU up 3-0. Tigers’ starter Maddie Holub then retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh giving FHSU the 3-0 win.

Holub allowed one hit in both the first and second innings, stuck out 10 and retired 16 of the final 17 to earn her 26th win of the season.

With the win the Tigers advanced to the Championship semi-finals against No. 1 seed and Regular Season Champion Central Oklahoma.

Game 2: FHSU 5, Missouri Western 0

In game two Tiger starter Maddie Holub had to work around a pair of hit batters in the first and a walk in the second on the way to her sixth no-hitter of the year.

Holub retired 17 straight hitters, striking out five and improved to 27-1 on the season.

FHSU’s Bianca Adame led off the third inning with a single, stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. Courtney Dobson walked and Central Oklahoma intentionally walked Maddie Holub to load the bases for Danie Brinkmann who was hit by a pitch and drove in the first run of the game. Amanda Vaupel followed that with a two-run single giving Fort Hays a 3-0 lead.

The Tigers added two more runs in the sixth on Tori Beltz’s eighth homerun of the season putting FHSU up 5-0 and they would go on to win by that score.

The win moves the Tigers to 44-9 and they will take on the winner of Emporia State versus Central Oklahoma Sunday at 12:00p.m. for the MIAA Championship.

No. 4 Missouri Western scored three in the seventh and three in the eight to bust open a tight game and defeat the Fort Hays State Tigers 9-1 in game one of their best-of-three First-Round MIAA Tournament series at Griffon Baseball Field in St. Joseph Saturday afternoon.

The Griffons improve to 36-8 and need one more win to advance to Final Four double-elimination tournament in Kansas City starting Thursday. The Tigers have lost three straight and are now 23-21.

Steve Johnson Postgame Interview

The Griffons struck first, scoring a run in the first on Grant Fink’s two-out single. They added two in the fourth on RBI singles from Jimmy Smelcer and Shawn Egge.

The Tigers had their chances, loading the bases with one out in the third then again with one out in the fourth but failed to score on both occasions. Jordan Miller grounded to third and Clayton Garland struck out to end the threat in the third. Griffon starter Brandon Simmons then struck out Jay Sanders and Chris Santoscoy to deny the Tigers in the fourth.

Game Highlights

Fort Hays State would get two on with one out in the sixth, but again Simmons shut the door getting Shane Wade to line out to right field and Jay Sanders to ground back to the mound.

Simmons (10-0) picks up the win, scattering seven hits while tying a season high with eight strikeouts and walking just one. in 7.0 innings. Tayler Davis (6-5) takes the loss for the Tigers, allowing six runs (five earned) on 10 hits over 6 1/3 innings. Davis struck out three and walked two. Kyle Leroy pitched the final 1 2/3 for the Tigers, giving up three runs, two on a Bubba Dotson two-run homer.

The Tigers scored their lone run on a Horace Johnson single to center in the eighth, driving in Kelton Rule who doubled off the right field wall. Johnson, Rule and Shane Wade all had two hits to lead the Tiger offense.

Senior Maddie Holub fired her fifth complete-game no-hitter of the season, leading Fort Hays State to an 8-0, five inning run-rule victory over Pittsburg State in the opening round of the MIAA Softball Championships in Overland Park Friday afternoon. The victory improves the Tigers to 42-9 and pushes them into Saturday’s second round where they will face Missouri Western who beat Truman 5-3. The second game was originally scheduled for Friday afternoon but was pushed back a day due to rain and a wind chill in the upper 20’s.

Holub retired the first five batters before giving up the first of four walks in the game. She struck out five, never allowing a runner past first base and improves to 25-1 on the season.

The Tigers grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first on Amanda Vaupel’s two-out two-run single to right. They would add another run in the second when Jenna Lang singled to center driving in Tori Beltz who opened the inning with a double. Dani Brinkmann doubled in the third and scored on an error following a Paxton Duran infield single to make it 4-0 in the third

The Tigers then blew it open with three in the fourth on RBI singles from Holub and Brinkmann. Jenna Lang doubled with one out in the fifth and scored followed a pup up to short by Bianca Adame.

Brinkmann and Lang both finished 2-for-3 with each hitting a double. Brinkmann and Holub both scored two runs.

Fort Hays State senior Maddie Holub has been named the MIAA Pitcher and Player of the Year, highlighting the all-conference team announced Thursday evening. Holub, who led the MIAA in earned run average while hitting for a league best batting average and a league high 18 home runs, is the only Tiger named to the first team.

Holub is now a four-time All-MIAA selection, twice named to the first team as a pitcher. She currently holds 21 school records in pitching and hitting combined.

Fort Hays State’s Erin Kinbeger is the conference Coach of the Year after leading the Tigers to a second place finish and a school-record 41 wins.

Holub and sophomore Amanda Vaupel were named to the all-conference second team. Holub as a utility player and Vaupel  in the outfield.

Freshman first baseman Tori Beltz, freshman second baseman Courtney Dobson, junior shortstop Kellsi Olsen, junior third baseman Danie Brinkman, and junior outfielder Bianca Adama are all honorable mention picks.

Player of the Year: Maddie Holub, Sr., Fort Hays State
Pitcher of the Year: Maddie Holub, Sr., Fort Hays State
Defensive Player of the Year: Amanda Self, C, Emporia State

^= Two utility players due to tie in the voting

Fort Hays State softball maintained its No. 1 ranking in the Central Region for the third straight week in the latest edition of the NCAA Division II Region Rankings, released on Wednesday. This is the final set of rankings released before the selections are announced for the NCAA Tournament next Monday at 9:30 am.

For the third consecutive week, the top two teams in the region hold steady with Fort Hays State at No. 1 and Southeastern Oklahoma State at No. 2. The Great American Conference regular season and tournament champion is currently ranked No. 2 in the nation and finished its season at 44-7 overall with an in-region record of 43-7. Fort Hays State finished its regular season at 41-9 overall and has an in-region record of 38-6 heading into the MIAA Tournament.

Central Oklahoma returns to the No. 3 position in the rankings after spending a week at No. 6. The Bronchos were No. 3 in the first set of rankings released two weeks ago. Central Oklahoma enters the MIAA Tournament at 40-9 overall (39-9 against Division II competition) and 36-8 against in-region opponents.

– FHSU Sports Information –

Below are the Central Region Rankings for May 1, 2013…

The Fort Hays State softball team drops four spots to No. 15 in the latest NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll released Wednesday. The Tigers are one of two MIAA schools ranked this week. Central Oklahoma, the MIAA regular season champion, is 12th. Missouri Western is receiving votes.

Southeastern Oklahoma State remains the highest ranked team from the Central Region, up to No. 2. Minnesota State-Mankato is No. 23. Minnesota-Duluth and Winona State received votes.

Below is the Top 25 poll for May 1, 2013…

Fort Hays State’s Makayla McPhail has been named the MIAA Field Athlete of the Week. McPhail improved upon her automatic national qualifying mark in the javelin at the Ollie Isom Invitational in El Dorado, Kan. She won the event with a throw of 154′ 7″. She threw 10 feet longer than the closest competitor and topped a field of 10 athletes.

She currently ranks third on the national performance list and has the top mark of any MIAA athlete in this event.The junior javelin thrower is a native of Liberal, Kan. where she competed at Liberal High School.

– MIAA Media Relations –

The Fort Hays State defense picked off two passes to highlight the Spring Scrimmage at Lewis Field Saturday morning. It marked the end of spring practice for the Tigers. There was no scoring of game clock in the scrimmage format.

Chris Brown Interview

Stephen Marcotte and Nate Lindsey both intercepted quarterback Traveon Albert. Daniel Lindsey also returned a punt for a touchdown.

Treveon Albert Interview

The Tigers open their season at home September 5th against Emporia State.

The Fort Hays State softball team closed out their regular season with a home sweep of Lincoln Friday at Tiger Stadium. The Tiger took game one 8-1 then won the second game 9-0 in five innings. They also honored their lone senior, Maddie Holub, who picks up the victory in the circle in game one and is now  72-28 in her career. The Tigers end the regular season 41-9 and 21-5 in the MIAA. The Blue Tigers end their season 14-23-1 and 6-18 in the conference.

Game 1; Fort Hays State 8, Lincoln 1
The Tigers score six in the sixth inning to blow open a one-run game. Jenna Land drew a bases loaded walk to drive in the first run in the big frame. Bianca Adame then doubled to left center driving in two. Adame scored on a wild pitch. Courtney Dobson doubled to left center driving in a run. Maddie Holub knocked in the final run with a single.

Fort Hays State scored two in the first on a Danie Brinkmann double. The Blue Tigers scored their only run in the third on a bases loaded walk.

Holub (24-1) picks up the win, allowing an unearned run on three hits, striking out 10 and walking one.

Game 2: Fort Hays State 9, Lincoln 0 (5 innings)
The Tigers scored two in the first on a Maddie Holub groundout and Danie Brinkmann sacrifice fly. They added four in the fourth highlighted by a Tori Beltz three-run homer. Amanda Vaupel added a three-run homer in the fifth to end the game by run-rule.

Paxton Duran (15-7) gets the win in relief, allowing no runs on one hits in three innings with two walks and two strikeouts. Starter Maddie Holub allowed one hit in 2.0 innings with two strikeouts.