Fort Hays State snapped its seven-game losing streak on Friday afternoon (Mar. 16) with a 4-2 win at Lincoln in Jefferson City, Mo. Strong pitching performances from Shawn Lewick and Brett Macari helped the Tigers improve to 3-10 overall and 2-7 in the MIAA.

Shawn Lewick turned in another strong start on the mound for FHSU, going 7.0 innings for the win. He scattered five hits and allowed just one run, while striking out two and walking two.

Brett Macari entered in the eighth after reliever Casey Pierce hit the first batter he faced. Macari worked around the leadoff runner scoring to preserve the lead. After allowing a double in the eighth, he retired the last five batters of the game for his first save of the season.

Ryan Busboom was key for the Tiger offense, picking up an RBI single in the first inning to give FHSU an early 1-0 lead. He hit a solo home run later in the seventh to push the FHSU lead to 3-0. That would be the decisive run in the game. Chris Santoscoy gave FHSU insurance in the eighth with an RBI single, giving FHSU a three-run lead once again at 4-1.

The four-game series at Lincoln continues on Saturday with a doubleheader at 1pm.

– FHSU Sports Information –

The Fort Hays State softball team pushed their winning streak to five games after knocking off Central Missouri twice on Friday afternoon  at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers won by scores of 6-1 and 8-2 to improve to 16-6 (4-0 MIAA) on the year.

Game 1: Fort Hays State 6, Central Missouri 1
The Tigers used a four-run second inning to take command of the first game on their way to the victory. Amanda Vaupel, Chelsey Rottinghaus and Madison Putman all singled to load the bases for Christine Moses, who came through with a two-run single of her own. Putman and Moses would both come around to score on wild pitches by UCM and give the Tigers the 4-0 lead.

Central Missouri scored their only run in the third inning and FHSU responded with one run in both the fourth and fifth innings. Wright had an RBI single in the fourth to score Taylor Nelson and Putman hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth to bring in Vaupel.

Maddie Holub had another strong outing in the circle for FHSU, allowing four hits and just one run as she pitched her 12th complete game of the season. Holub struck out 11 UCM batters, giving her 141 for the season, and improved to 9-4 on the year.

Game 2: Fort Hays State 8, Central Missouri 2
FHSU scored a run in both the first and second innings before getting two three-run innings later in the game to put the Jennies away in the second game. Vaupel hit an RBI single in the first inning while Nelson added one in the second to put the Tigers ahead 2-0 after two.

Nelson added an RBI double in the fourth, scoring Yasnaya Susoeff  before Wright hit a sacrifice fly and Holub hit an RBI single to make it 5-0 going into the fifth inning. Central Missouri scored there two runs in the top of the fifth, making it 5-2.

Nelson struck again in the bottom of the sixth. Moses and Kellsi Olsen both reached to start the inning and came in to score on Nelson’s fourth home run of the season. Nelson finished the game with three hits and four RBI while Holub recorded a hit in all four of her at-bats.

Abby Morrison started the game and pitched the first five innings for the Tigers, picking up her first win of the season. Morrison allowed six hits, but allowed just two runs in improving to 1-1 on the season. Holub pitched the final two innings of the game, picking up her third save on the year, which ties the single-season school record at FHSU.

Fort Hays State will be at home again Saturday with a doubleheader against Southwest Baptist starting at 1pm.

– FHSU Sports Information –

Fort Hays State baseball’s struggles continued on Saturday in Joplin, Mo., as they were swept by Missouri Southern in a doubleheader by scores of 12-4 and 11-1. Missouri Southern, ranked No. 24 in NCAA Division II, swept the four-game series, moving to 15-1 overall and 8-0 in the MIAA. Fort Hays State dropped to 2-10 overall and 1-7 in the MIAA with the losses.

Game 1: Missouri Southern 12, FHSU 4
FHSU claimed an early 1-0 lead in the second inning on a Jay Sanders RBI groundout, but it was all Missouri Southern from that point as the Lions scored two in the bottom of the second, two in the third, two in the fourth, and six in the fifth on their way to a 12-4 win.

Connor Beer allowed six runs over four innings in his start for FHSU. Four of the six runs allowed were earned. Chase Newman did not fair well in relief, lasting just a third of an inning while allowing three runs. Kyle Leroy surrendered the final three runs and did not record an out.

Jesse Hart was the only Tiger to hold the Lions scoreless, pitching the final 1 2/3 innings of the game.

Brett Macari recorded an RBI on a groundout in the fourth, an inning where the Tigers got two runs benefitting from an MSSU error. Luke Kordsmeier had a solo home run in the sixth.

David Reese was the winning pitcher for MSSU. Just one of his four runs allowed were earned. He struck out three and walked one in six innings of work.

Game 2: Missouri Southern 11, FHSU 1
Missouri Southern jumped out to a 4-0 lead early with three runs in the first and one in the second. FHSU pulled within three at 4-1 in the top of the fifth on sacrifice fly RBI by Sheldon Howell, but that was all the scoring for the Tigers in the game.

The Lions pulled away with three in the fifth, one in the sixth, and three in the seventh to force the 10-run rule after seven innings. Nathan Zimmerman started for FHSU and allowed five of the runs (four earned). Alex Ellison and Tayler Davis each allowed three in relief.

Ethan Stenger threw a complete game for Missouri Southern, striking out five without walking a batter.

Fort Hays State plays a four-game series at Lincoln University next weekend in Jefferson City, Mo.

– FHSU Sports Information –

The Tiger softball team opened the conference portion of their schedule on Saturday afternoon with a pair of wins over Washburn. FHSU had to come from behind in both games, winning by scores of 6-5 and 5-2. The Tigers are now 14-6 (2-0 MIAA) on the year.

Game 1: Fort Hays State 6, Washburn 5
The Tigers found themselves down 5-0 after the top of the fourth inning, but battled back with three runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to get the 6-5 victory.

Maddie Holub and Adriana Wortley got back-to-back singles with two outs in the fourth inning and both would come around to score on a double of the fence by Amanda Vaupel. Chelsey Rottinghaus came up next and legged out an infield single and advanced to second on a bad throw by the Lady Blue shortstop, which also allowed Vaupel to score.

The offense put together another strong inning in the fifth, led off by a single from Christine Moses. Madison Putman then reached base by an error to give the Tigers two base runners with no outs in the inning. After the next two batters were retired, Holub came back around and hit her fifth home run of the season to give FHSU the 6-5 lead.

Holub would take care of everything else from the pitching circle, where she struck out 15 Washburn batters and allowed just five hits and one earned run. Holub picked up the win, improving her record to 8-4 on the year.

Game 2: Fort Hays State 5, Washburn 2
Fort Hays State again had to come from behind in the second game, getting down 2-0 after allowing Washburn one run in both the first and second innings.

FHSU had chances of their own early on, stranding base runners in three of the first four innings before breaking through in the fifth. The Tigers were aided by a Washburn error that allowed Holub to reach, but FHSU also got three hits in the inning and scored five runs to go up 5-2. The main damage was when Putman hit a two-RBI single, which scored Breanna Beckerman and Rottinghaus.

Kaitlyn Shattleroe pitched the first five innings and picked up the win, improving to 6-1 on the year. She allowed nine hits but just two earned runs. Holub came in to pitch the final two innings and picked up her second save of the year.

The Tigers play at home again next weekend, facing Central Missouri on Friday afternoon at 3pm.

– FHSU Sports Information –

The Fort Hays State baseball team could not snap its losing streak on Friday (Mar. 9), dropping a pair of conference contests to 24th-ranked Missouri Southern in Joplin, Mo. FHSU saw a 2-0 lead slip away in game one and fell 5-4, then dropped the nightcap 7-4. FHSU is now 2-8 overall and 1-5 in the MIAA.

Game 1: Missouri Southern 5, FHSU 4
The game was scoreless until the fourth inning when the Tigers took advantage of an error to open the inning. A Ryan Busboom single scored Brandon Hoefler from second base to give FHSU a 1-0 lead. Shawn Lewick worked around trouble in the bottom of the fourth to keep FHSU in the lead. He struck out the last two batters to strand a runner at third.

In the fifth, the FHSU lead grew to 2-0 on a Jay Sanders double and Luke Kordsmeier scored on an error by the right fielder.

Missouri Southern finally broke through on the Tigers in the bottom of the fifth. A one out single scored a run from second, then a double put runners at second and third. An untimely error by Tiger shortstop Sheldon Howell allowed a second run to come in on a grounder, which gave MSSU a 3-2 lead.

The Lions broke through with two more runs in the sixth, both charged to Lewick. An error on a failed pickoff attempt and a wild pitch by relief pitcher Kyle Leroy led to the two insurance runs scoring for the Lions.

They would need those insurance runs as FHSU rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh. An error allowed one run in with two outs and extended the inning to allow Nash Smith to single in another run. But with runners at first and second, Mace Krol struck out to end the game.

Lewick, who has been the strongest pitcher for FHSU this season, was handed the tough-luck loss. He has had two no decisions and now a loss, but has a 3.45 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 15.2 innings of work.

Cody Griebling moved to 4-0 on the season for MSSU with the win. He went the distance, striking out eight over the seven innings.

Game 2: Missouri Southern 7, FHSU 4
FHSU fell victim to the big inning in the second game as Missouri Southern scored six of its seven runs in the second inning. A strong outing from MSSU starter Ryan Wheat, kept the Tigers from rallying until later in the game. After giving up a run in the first to FHSU, he settled in to pitch 7.2 innings. He retired the side in order in four innings following the first.

The Tigers finally rallied for a pair of runs in the eighth on RBI singles by Nash Smith and Ryan Busboom. Mace Krol produced the final run for FHSU in the ninth on an RBI single.

Bo Bergen picked up a save for MSSU in 1 2/3 innings of relief. Andy Lewton took the loss for FHSU in 6 innings of work. Four of the six runs he allowed were earned. He allowed four hits, walked four, and struck out five.

– FHSU Sports Informaton –

The Fort Hays State softball team, playing their seventh and eighth games in the past five days, split a doubleheader against Southwestern Oklahoma State in Weatherford, Okla., on Wednesday afternoon. The Tigers lost the first game by a score of 10-2 in six innings, but rebounded to get the split with a 5-2 win in the night cap. Fort Hays State has improved their record to 12-6 on the year heading into MIAA play, which opens on Saturday with a home series against Washburn.

Game 1: Southwestern Oklahoma State 10, Fort Hays State 2 (6 inn.)
SWOSU jumped on top 4-0 in the first inning of the opening game, taking advantage of a walk and two stolen bases to get out in front. The Bulldogs added two more runs in the bottom of the third before Fort Hays State got on the board. The Tigers scored one run in the fourth and sixth innings, but the damage had already been done and SWOSU hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth for a walk-off run-rule victory.

Kaitlyn Shattleroe pitched the opening 2 1/3 innings and took the loss for the Tigers after allowing six earned runs and walking four.

Game 2: Fort Hays State 5, Southwestern Oklahoma State 2
The Tigers rebounded well in the second game and put together all the offense they needed with a five-run third inning. Taylor Nelson and Callie Wright singled to open the inning, with Nelson coming around to score on an Adriana Wortley double. Amanda Vaupel followed that up with a single of her own, scoring both Wright and Nelson to put the Tigers up 3-0. Chelsey Rottinghaus kept it going with a two-run home run, her second of the year, to put the Tigers up 5-0.

That would be more than enough run support for Maddie Holub, who put together another strong outing from the pitching circle. Holub pitched a complete game, allowing just three hits and didn’t give up a run until the Bulldogs hit a two-out home run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Holub struck out 13 SWOSU batters and improved her record to 7-4 on the year.

– FHSU Sports Information –

The Fort Hays State baseball team fell by a score of 6-5 to Tabor College on Tuesday at Larks Park in Hays. Down 6-0 after six innings, a late rally by the Tigers came up short, dropping the Tigers to 2-6 on the young season.

Double plays in the early innings killed several potential rallies by the Tigers, as Tabor methodically opened up its lead with one run in the second, three in the third, one in the fifth, and one in the sixth. The decisive run in the sixth, which scored on a throwing error by the Tigers that would have ended the inning, proved costly.

FHSU capitalized on an error by the Blue Jays in the seventh for its first run. After a Ryan Busboom double to lead off the inning, the Tabor pitcher uncorked a throw on a failed pick-off attempt at second to allow Busboom to get to third. J.C. Ochoa drove him in on a ground ball.

The Tigers took advantage of Tabor’s second error of the game in the eighth. With the bases loaded, the second baseman committed a fielding error off the bat of Mace Krol that allowed all runners to be safe, making the score 6-2. Busboom then cleared the bases with his second-straight double to make it 6-5 with one out. However, Matt Lambert entered the game to pitch and shut the door on FHSU, inducing a pop up and ground out to the next two Tiger hitters.

Lambert worked around a Sheldon Howell single and stolen base in the ninth for his second save of the season and gave Tabor (10-3) the win. Anthony Mendoza picked up the win in three innings of relief for the Blue Jays after starter Brian Kowal went just four innings.

Fort Hays State goes on the road for 4-game conference series’ at Missouri Southern and Lincoln the next two weekends before returning home on March 20 against Bethany College.

– FHSU Sports Information –

The Fort Hays State softball team went into windy Goodwell, Okla., on Tuesday afternoon and swept a doubleheader against Panhandle State. The Tigers scored 25 runs and pounded out 29 hits in the two games, winning by scores of 10-2 and 15-7. FHSU is now 11-5 on the year and they will play another doubleheader on Wednesday at Southwestern Oklahoma State in Weatherford, Okla.

Game 1: Fort Hays State 10, Panhandle State 2
Taylor Nelson hit a solo home run to lead off the first game and put the Tigers ahead 1-0. Both offenses would go stagnant until the fifth inning, when Nelson struck again, this time with an RBI single which scored pinch-runner Yasnava Susoeff. After FHSU added an insurance run in the top of the 6th, Panhandle State mounted their lone offensive attack, scoring two runs in the bottom of the inning on consecutive sacrifice flies.

Fort Hays State put the game away in the top of the seventh inning, when another solo shot from Nelson started a seven-run inning which included five hits and was aided by one Panhandle State error. Amanda Vaupel, Chelsey Rottinhaus and Christine Moses all had RBI singles in the inning, while Nelson came back around to bat and hit a sac fly.

Maddie Holub picked up the win for the Tigers, pitching a complete game and striking out nine batters while allowing four hits and two earned runs. Holub improved to 6-4 with the win and has now struck out 99 batters on the year.

Game 2: Fort Hays State 15, Panhandle State 7
OPSU jumped on top early, scoring two runs in both the first and second innings and leading 4-2 going into the third. That was when the Tigers would make their move, getting a three-run home run to left center from Adriana Wortley followed by a solo shot from Callie Wright three batters later.

The Aggies would tie the game at 6-6 in the bottom of the fourth inning before FHSU put up five runs in the fifth to blow the game open. The Tigers added four more insurance runs in the top of the seventh to put the game away.

Fort Hays State had 17 hits in the game, compared to 16 by OPSU, but the Tigers were aided by six Aggie errors and claimed a 15-7 victory.

Kaitlyn Shattleroe pitched the final 3.1 innings to pick up the victory for Fort Hays State. Shattleroe is now 5-0 on the season after allowing four hits and one run in this outing.

– FHSU Sports Information –

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Missouri Southern center Keane Thomann was selected as MIAA Player of the Year, and Northwest Missouri head coach Ben McCollum was chosen as MIAA Coach of the Year to headline the 2011-12 all-conference men’s basketball team released Tuesday by the league office. The selections were made by the league’s 11 head coaches, and coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.

Thomann was named player of the year after a season in which he led the MIAA in scoring (21.5ppg) and field goal percentage (.632), while finishing fourth in the league in rebounding (7.9 rpg) and third in the conference in blocked shots (1.3 bpg). The senior from Olney, Ill., was also one of two unanimous All-MIAA First Team selections along with Washburn junior guard Will McNeill.

McCollum was voted coach of the year for the first time after leading Northwest Missouri to a share of the MIAA regular season championship, the 12th regular season conference title for Northwest and first since 2006-07. The Bearcats finished 15-5 in league play (21-5 overall) and will be the No. 3 seed in the MIAA Tournament.

Fort Hays State senior center Matt Simmons was selected as the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year. The Great Bend, Kan., native led the conference with 53 blocked shots (2.0 per game) and 198 defensive rebounds (7.6 per game). Simmons was also an All-MIAA Second Team selection.

Truman guard Seth Jackson is the MIAA Freshman of the Year after finishing 16th in the league in scoring with 11.9 points per game. The St. Louis, Mo., product was also All-MIAA Honorable Mention.

Missouri Southern and Northwest Missouri led the league with four All-MIAA selections apiece, followed by Central Missouri, Fort Hays State, Pittsburg State and Washburn with three each, Missouri Western, Southwest Baptist and Truman with two each, and Emporia State and Lincoln with one apiece.

The MIAA Centennial Basketball Championships begin Thursday at Municipal Auditorium in Downtown Kansas City, with the men taking the floor on Friday. Men’s award winners and All-MIAA First Team selections will be recognized prior to the 6 p.m. game Friday evening.

2011-12 ALL-MIAA MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAMPLAYER OF THE YEAR
Keane Thomann, Sr., C, Missouri Southern

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Matt Simmons, Sr., C, Fort Hays State

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Seth Jackson, G, Truman

COACH OF THE YEAR
Ben McCollum, Northwest Missouri

FIRST TEAM
Keane Thomann, Sr., C, Missouri Southern**
Will McNeill, Jr., G, Washburn**
Deshaun Cooper, Jr., G, Northwest Missouri
Ryan Dougherty, Sr., G, Southwest Baptist
Jason Adams, Sr., G/F, Missouri Southern [r1]

**Unanimous Selection
[r1] – Repeat first team selection from last season

SECOND TEAM
Dominique Long,Jr., F, Central Missouri
Boo Hunter, Sr., G, Central Missouri
Jake Reinders, Sr., F, Northwest Missouri
Andra Bailey, Sr., F, Pittsburg State
Matt Simmons, Sr., C, Fort Hays State

THIRD TEAM
Karron McKenzie, Sr., G/F, Fort Hays State
Lavonte Douglas, Sr., F, Missouri Western
Moses Dayee, Sr., G/F, Fort Hays State
Marquis Addison, So., G, Missouri Southern
Eric Ray, Sr., G, Pittsburg State

HONORABLE MENTION
Widgett Washington, Jr., G, Central Missouri
Tola Lawal, Sr., G, Emporia State
Cedric Ridle, Jr., G, Lincoln
Jordan Talbert, So., F, Missouri Southern
TJ Johnson, Sr., G, Missouri Western
Kyle Haake, Sr., G, Northwest Missouri
DeAngelo Hailey, Jr., G, Northwest Missouri
Javon McGee, Jr., C, Pittsburg State
Robson Memnon, Sr., F, Southwest Baptist
Seth Jackson, Fr., G, Truman
Tom Norton, Jr., G, Truman
Martin Mitchell, Jr., G, Washburn
Bobby Chipman, Jr., F, Washburn

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Matt Simmons, Sr., C, Fort Hays State
Ryan Dougherty, Sr., G, Southwest Baptist
Will McNeill, Jr., G, Washburn
Jake Reinders, Sr., F, Northwest Missouri
Andra Bailey, Sr., F, Pittsburg State