The Fort Hays State baseball team went into their final doubleheader of the regular season at Northwest Missouri State looking to punch their ticket into the MIAA postseason tournament. Now the Tigers are going to need some help after losing twice to the Bearcats on Thursday by scores of 3-1. Fort Hays State drops to 24-21 overall and 19-19 in the MIAA. Northwest, who has now won seven straight, improves to 21-25 and 18-22 in the conference after splitting their four games this season with the Tigers.

The Tigers now need Nebraska-Kearney and Southwest Baptist to each lose a game in their three-game series this weekend to secure a spot to the conference tournament.

Game 1: Northwest Missouri State 3, Fort Hays State 1
The Bearcats scored three in the bottom of the fourth after the Tigers had scored one in the top of the inning to take the lead. Clayton Garland’s single down the left field line drove in Fort Hays State’s lone run.

Tayler Davis (6-4) takes the loss, allowing the three runs on five hits over 6.0 innings, walking five while striking out one.

Game 2: Northwest Missouri State 3, Fort Hays State 1 (10 inn.)
Tyler Durant hit a two-out two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th off of Michael Edlefson to rally for the sweep. The Bearcats scored a run in the bottom of the ninth on a one-out double from Cameron Bedard.

The Tigers scored their lone run on a Kelton Rule single in the fourth.

Edlefson (4-2) takes the loss, allowing two runs on one hit in 1 1/3 innings. Starter Alex Ellison scattered nine hits over 8 1/3 innings, allowing just the one run in the ninth, striking out two and walking one.

Fort Hays State jumped seven spots in the most recent NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll, released on Wednesday (Apr. 24). After spending last week at No. 18 in the nation, the Tigers return to No. 11 in the nation to match its highest ranking in the poll this year. The Tigers were also ranked No. 11 in the nation on March 20. Fort Hays State has now been in the rankings for seven consecutive weeks, seeing its first-ever season in the national rankings at the NCAA Division II level.

Fort Hays State and Central Oklahoma are the only schools from the MIAA referenced in the rankings this week. Central Oklahoma dropped from No. 7 in the nation to No. 21 after going 2-2 last week. However, the Bronchos still have a one-game lead on the Tigers in the MIAA standings in the chase for the conference regular season championship. Missouri Western, which sits in third place in the MIAA, received votes for the poll.

The Tigers are the second-highest nationally ranked team from the Central Region. Southeastern Oklahoma State is currently No. 3 in the nation and won the regular season crown in the Great American Conference. However, in the first set of region rankings released by the NCAA on Wednesday, April 17, Fort Hays State was ranked first in the region and Southeastern Oklahoma was second. The Savage Storm is now 40-7 overall on the season. Also in the rankings from the Central Region is Minnesota State-Mankato, referenced third in the first set of region rankings.

Complete poll below…

-FHSU Sports Information –

Fort Hays State softball players Maddie Holub and Tori Beltz were named the MIAA Softball Athletes of the Week on Tuesday (Apr. 23). For an impressive seventh time this year, Holub was named the Pitcher of the Week, while freshman Tori Beltz collects her first career Hitter of the Week honor.

Holub had another stellar week in the pitching circle, coming just one out shy of throwing back-to-back no hitters on the road over the weekend. She pitched her fourth no-hitter of the season at Southwest Baptist, facing just one batter over the minimum with 13 strikeouts and just one hit batter. It was the fifth complete game no-hitter of her career. She also had a no-hitter all the way to the final out at Central Missouri, going 6.2 innings before allowing her only hit of the week, a double to Jackie Prater. She faced just two batters over the minimum against UCM, also allowing a walk in the first inning, and struck out 12. For the week Holub was 2-0 with two shutouts, a 0.00 ERA, and 25 strikeouts in 14 innings, averaging 12.5 strikeouts per seven innings. Holub now has 10 shutouts on the season. She is 22-1 overall for the season and helped Fort Hays State break the school record for most wins in a season with the team’s 36th victory in game one at SBU.

Beltz was a difficult out for opponents last week, hitting .727 with two doubles, a home run, three RBI, and two runs scored. She had a slugging percentage of 1.182 and on-base percentage of .769. Beltz reached base in her first 11 plate appearances for the week and she recorded hits in eight consecutive at bats from game one against Southwest Baptist on Saturday through game one against Central Missouri on Sunday. In game one against SBU, she reached by error and walk in her first two at bats, then recorded a double and a single. She followed in game two with a two-run home run and two singles, going 3-for-3 in the game. She remained hot in game one against Central Missouri, starting the game with a double and two singles before getting walked in her fourth at bat, going 3-for-3 for the second straight game. Her streak of reaching base in 11 straight plate appearances was snapped in game two against UCM.

-FHSU Sports Information-

The Fort Hays State men’s golf team finished 12th out of 12 teams at the MIAA Championships in Smithville, Mo. The tournament was held on The Outlaw course at Paradise Pointe, a par-72 course. The teams played 36 holes on Monday and Fort Hays State shot scores of 310 and 309 for a 619 total. Tuesday’s final round was cancelled due to rain.

Trey Herman led the way for FHSU, tying for 12th individually at 4-over par with rounds of 72 and 76. Luke Gordon shot rounds of 81 and 78, Mark Cunningham shot rounds of 87 and 73, and Nick VonLintel shot 79 and 82. Travis Kleweno also competed and shot 78 and 87.

Central Oklahoma won the team title by 18 strokes with an impressive eight-under par total of 568. Central Missouri was second with a 586, 10-over par overall. Lindenwood was third with a 591.

Dillon Rust of Central Oklahoma won the individual championship with a 137, seven-under par overall after rounds of -5 and -2. His teammates Trevor Stafford and Logan Waresback were each two-under par and tied for second. Central Oklahoma had four golfers in the top 10.

-FHSU Sports Information-

The Fort Hays State women’s golf team finished ninth out of 11 teams at the rain-shortened MIAA Championships in Smithville, Mo. The tournament is being held on The Posse course at Paradise Pointe, a par-72 course. Fort Hays State shot 354 as a team on the first day and the second day was cancelled due to rain.

Carmen Thompson and Samantha Hobson each led the way for FHSU with rounds of 85. They tied for 28th individually. Megan DeWerff was one stroke back of both with an 86 and tied for 34th. Kaycee Beilman shot 98 to round out the team score for FHSU and Natalie Bethel shot 101.

Central Oklahoma won the team title after shooting +13 as a team with a 301. Northeastern State was nine strokes back in second and Northwest Missouri State finished third with a 324.

Ally Seng of Central Oklahoma won the tournament with a 1-under par 71. Her teammate Erin Bensch was four strokes back in second. All four of Central Oklahoma’s scorers were in the top 10 individually.

-FHSU Sports Information-

Maddie Holub came within one out of throwing back-to-back no-hitters as the Tigers win game one with Central Missouri 7-0. The Jennies salvage the split with a 10-2 victory in game two in Warrensburg Sunday. No. 18 Fort Hays State is now 38-8 and 18-4 in the MIAA where they trail first place Central Oklahoma by one game. The Jennies are 23-19 and 13-11 in conference play.

Game 1: N0. 18 Fort Hays State 7, Central Missouri 0
Maddie Holub was a two-out double in the bottom of the seventh away from her second straight no-hitter this weekend. Holub struck out 12 and walked one to move to 22-1 on the season. She was also 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs. Tori Beltz also had three hits.

The Tigers scored five in the second then added two in the fourth.

Game 2: Central Missouri 10, No. 18 Fort Hays State 2 (5 inn.)
The Jennies jumped on the Tigers early, scoring two in the first and three in the second and led 8-0 after three innings to salvage the split.

The Tigers, who were held to one hit, scored two in the fourth on a wild pitch and throwing error. UCM answered with two in the bottom of the inning for the final score.

Paxton Duran (14-7), who had the Tigers only hit of the game, takes the loss allowing all 10 runs on 12 hits, striking out four and walking none.

Truman committed two errors on the game’s final play, allowing Ryan Busboom to score from third, lifiting the Fort Hays State Tigers to a 7-6 come-from-behind 10 inning win Sunday afternoon at Larks Park. Busboom moved to third when Bulldog first baseman misplayed a grounder off the bat of Jay Sanders. He scored on second baseman Jordan Hare’s overthrow at the plate.

Steve Johnson Postgame Interview

The Tigers grabbed a 3-2 lead on Shane Wade’s two-run homer to left in the fourth. Truman would get a single run in the fifth then three in the sixth to take a 6-3 lead.

Game Highlights

Fort Hays State answered with three in the bottom of the sixth to tie. Wade drove in the first run with a double. Sanders knocked one in on a groundout then Chris Santoscoy singled to center to tie the game.

Micheal Edlefson (4-1), who picked up a save with one inning of relief in game two Saturday, gets the win in relief, allowing two earned runs on three hits over five innings, striking out four and walking two. Edlefson had strikeouts to end the eighth and ninth inning, both with runners at second.

Starter Jesse Hart allowed four runs on seven hits over five innings, striking out three while walking two.

Sam Thornton had three of the Tigers 13 hits. Shane Wade homered and doubled and drove in three helping Fort Hays State to the series win and improve them to 23-18 overall and 19-17 in the MIAA.

The close out the regular season with two games at Northwest Missouri State Tuesday.

Fort Hays State’s Alex Hendee won the 1500 meter run at the KU Relays, topping the field of six runners with a time of 3:54.98. Cory Keehn finished third in the 10,000 meters in a time of 30:59, four seconds behind the winner.

Max Alonso hit aprovisional qualifying mark in the discus with a throw of 169-feet, 5-inches, finishing fifth in the event. He already has a better provisional mark this year and ranks eighth on the national performance list.

Fort Hays State split a MIAA doubleheader with Truman on Saturday at Larks Park. The Tigers dropped game one 8-7, but bounced back for a 15-5 run-rule win in game two. Fort Hays State moved to 22-18 overall and 18-17 in the MIAA. FHSU moved up into eighth place in the MIAA standings with the split, a half game ahead of Southwest Baptist.

Game 1: Truman 8, Fort Hays State 7
Fort Hays State tied the seven-inning contest twice, but could not cash in on golden opportunities throughout the game to overtake Truman. After Truman took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, FHSU responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game. Truman picked up one in the third and one in the fourth, before FHSU pushed single runs across in the fourth and fifth to get the game tied once again.

Truman delivered the big blow in the sixth with four runs, but the Tigers responded with three in the bottom half of the inning taking advantage of two errors by the Bulldogs. However, the Tigers could not push the tying or go ahead runs across with the bases loaded when Jay Sanders grounded into an inning-ending double play. Sanders was 3-for-3 in the game up to that point.

The Tigers got a runner to second in the seventh inning with one out, but had a flyout and a strikeout to end the game.

Tayler Davis took the loss on the mound, moving to 6-3, allowing all eight runs on 11 hits and three walks with one strikeout in 5.2 innings of work. Kyle Leroy pitched the final 1.1 innings allowing a hit and a walk with one strikeout.

Kelton Rule had a team-high two RBI in the game for FHSU, one on a groundout and the other on a single. Sam Thornton, Ryan Busboom,m Nathan Miller and Jay Sanders all had an RBI. Horace Johnson went 3-for-3 at the plate in the game. Clayton Garland failed to get a hit, ending his 23-game hit streak.

Game 2: Fort Hays State 15, Truman 5 (7 inn.)
Game two had a similar feel early as both teams plated a pair of runs in the first inning. Truman took a 4-2 lead in the top of the fifth, but Fort Hays State finally took its first lead of the day at 7-4 with five runs in the bottom half of the fifth.

Truman pulled back within two with a run in the sixth, but the Tiger offense exploded for eight runs in the seventh to win the game by run-rule. An error by the Bulldogs in the seventh led to six unearned runs in the inning. Shane Wade delivered a game-winning walk-off single to cap the eight-run seventh.

Clayton Garland had four hits while Ryan Busboom and Horace Johnson both drove in three. Busboom had a two-RBI double in the eight-run inning and Johnson had a solo homer to trigger the eight-run seventh, then came up later in the inning to deliver a RBI double.

Alex Ellison was the winning pitcher for FHSU, going 6.0 innings with five runs allowed on seven hits with a walk and a strikeout. He is now 3-6 on the season. Michael Edlefson, who entered in the top of the seventh with the Tigers leading just 7-5, picked up a save by retiring the side in order in the seventh before the eight-run outburst by FHSU.

The Tigers look to take the rubber match of the three-game series on Sunday at 12 pm. Fort Hays State will have its 14 seniors recognized prior to the start of the game which can be heard on KAYS (1400-AM).

– FHSU Sports Information –

Fort Hays State is currently eighth in the MIAA standings and is battling for one of the eight MIAA Tournament spots with just three games remaining in the regular season. Following Sunday, FHSU goes to Northwest Missouri State to end the regular season with a doubleheader on Tuesday (Apr. 23).

The 18th-ranked Fort Hays State softball team rolled to a doubleheader sweep at Southwest Baptist Saturday in Bolivar, Mo. The Tigers won game one  7-0 then took game two 14-0.  The Tigers moved to 37-7 overall and 17-3 in the MIAA with the wins and are now back to even with Central Oklahoma in the loss column in the MIAA standings.

Game 1: Fort Hays State 7, Southwest Baptist 0
Maddie Holub recorded her fourth complete game no-hitter, allowing just one base runner on a hit by pitch. Holub retired the first eight batters of the game before hitting a batter in the third inning. Holub retired the next 13 for her fourth complete game no-hitter of the season. All four of the no-hitters have been in a span of just over three weeks.

The Tigers scored one run in the first and four in the third. FHSU tacked on its final pair of runs in the fifth. Courtney Dobson and Callie Wright both had two RBIs. Kellsi Olsen went 3-for-4 with a RBI. Holub also had one RBI in the game with a bases loaded walk.

Game 2: Fort Hays State 14, Southwest Baptist 0 (5 inn.)
Fort Hays State scored seven in the first, one in the second, three in the fourth and three in the fifth for the run-rule win.

In the seven-run first, Courtney Dobson and Tori Beltz both hit two-run homers. Kellsi Olsen knocked in a run with a triple and Bianca Adame followed with a RBI double.

Maddie Holub and Amanda Vaupel each had solo homers in the fourth and Jenna Lang knocked home a run with a single. 

Paxton uran tossed a one-hitter in the circle, her second one-hit complete game effort of the season. She allowed just one walk and struck out four, moving to 14-6 overall on the season.