Fort Hays State track and field hosted the Fort Hays State Open on Friday (Apr. 28) at the new FHSU Track and Field Facility. The majority of the women’s team attended the home event but a few others went to the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa.

Micki Krzeskinski had a big performance at the Drake Relays on Thursday when she shattered the Fort Hays State record in the 10,000 meter run and claimed fourth place with her time of 35:02.67. The time was also good for a provisional mark and the 11th fastest time in the nation. The time was over 80 seconds faster than Joan Jilka’s 1983 time of 36:23.34, a record that stood for 34 years.

On Friday (Apr. 28) the Tiger 4×200 team of Amber Forbes, Linsdey Shupe, Tanoudji Diarra and Kelly Wycoff picked up a third place finish with a time of 1:40.41.

In Hays the Tigers turned in five first place finishes, two second place finishes and seven third place finishes.

Alexcia Deutscher picked up the only provisional of the day for the women with her first place finish in the javelin of 143 feet. Her toss was not as good as a prior mark this year as she already sits third in the nation.

Also earning first place finishes on the day were Selam Bell in the pole vault (11 feet, 0.25 inches), Yessenia Gonzalez in the 3000 meter steeplechase (12:12.20), Kylee Poague in the 400 meter hurdles (1:04.74), Mariah Hammersmithh in the triple jump (36 feet, 9 inches) and Baja Robinson in the shot put (43 feet, 6.5 inches).

Courtney Geiger was runner-up in the discus with a toss of 136 feet, 2 inches and Peri Lange took home a second-place finish in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 1:05.49.

Third place finishers included Laramey Leakey in the pole vault (9 feet, 6.5 inches), Haley Gottschalk, Poague, Sharee Zombo and Lange in the 4 x 100 (51.57), Robin Ritseme in the high jump (5 feet, 3 inches), Poague in the 100 meter hurdles (15.40), Courtney Batchman in the 400 meter hurdles (1:07.26), Tessa Durnell in the 5000 meters (20:03.16) and Remi Behrends in the triple jump (34 feet, 9.5 inches).

The Tigers get back into action on May 5-7 at the MIAA Championships in Bolivar, Mo.

FHSU Sports Information

Fort Hays State hosted the Fort Hays State Open on Friday at the new FHSU Track and Field Facility. The majority of the men’s squad attended the home event, but a few others competed at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa. Overall the Tigers turned in a good showing in the weekend.

Brett Meyer stole the show on Thursday evening in Iowa when he took home first place in the 800 meters at the Drake Relays. Meyer defeated a lot of quality competition, including several NCAA Division I talent with a time of 1:50.53. The time improved his provisional mark on the year, now tied for 13^th in the nation.

In Hays, FHSU picked up three first place finishes, six second place finishes and five third place finishes.

Kolt Newell won the high jump and improved his provisional mark on the year with a jump of 6 feet, 10.75 inches. It was the best effort of his career and he is now tied for eighth on the national performance list.

TJ Dozier earned a pair of runner-up finishes and provisional marks in both the discus (162 feet even) and hammer throw (181 feet, 5 inches). However, both marks were not his best on the season. Cameron Fouts was the third Tiger to pick up a provisional mark at the FHSU Open, doing so in the javelin with a toss 191 feet, 10 inches. He ranks just outside the top 30 in the nation.

Also picking up a first places finishes were Western Riner in the 400 meter hurdles (55.82) and the team of Matthew Pieper, Colson Reames, Jacob Irvin and Dalton Ill in the 4 x 400 relay (3:31.91).

Other second place finishers for the Tigers were Lucas Roths in the 3000 meter steeplechase (10:44.27), Irvin in the in the 200 meters (22.57) and Christian Delaney in the shot put (48 feet, 11.5 inches).

Third place finishers for the Tigers consisted of Irvin, Reames, Johnathon Penrose and Kyle Comstock in the 4 x 100 meter relay, Irvin in the 100 meters (11.08), Penrose in the 110 meter hurdles (15.32) and Maddox Winter in the triple jump (41 feet, 1.5 inches).

The Tigers get back into action on May 5-7 at the MIAA Championships in Bolivar, Mo.

FHSU Sports Information

HAYS, Kan. – With the weekend series against Pittsburg State pushed back to Monday and Tuesday (May 1-2), the annual Fort Hays State Baseball Pack the Park event has been moved to Monday, May 1. The event will run for the duration of the doubleheader at Larks Park, with first pitch set for 3 p.m. in game one.

Admission will be FREE for both games. Special promotions include concession specials and giveaways, courtesy of our sponsor Heartland Building Center.

Concession specials include $1.50 hamburgers, bratwursts and beverages all afternoon. Additionally, Heartland Building Center will be giving away limited edition souvenir baseballs throughout the games.

FHSU Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State’s Candace Bollig and Tess Gray were named to the All-MIAA Softball Team for the 2017 season on Thursday (Apr. 27). Both received honorable mention nods as teams are voted on by head coaches in the MIAA.

After a slow start to the year at the plate, Bollig came on strong in the final month of the season seeing her batting average jump 44 points after March 31 as she hit .362 in April. She finished the year with a .304 batting average, .441 slugging percentage, .395 on-base percentage, and 28 RBI to lead the team. She had 14 extra-base hits (8 doubles, 4 triples, 2 home runs). Bollig is an honorable mention selection at third base, where she played 45 of the 56 games this season. She was the designated player for the other 11 contests.

Gray earns the honorable mention selection at catcher. She batted .295 for the season with 5 doubles, 4 home runs, and 27 RBI. Gray led the MIAA in runners caught stealing in conference play with eight, as opponents had a 78 percent success rate against her. Overall, for the season, opponents had an 81 percent success, so the non-conference stolen base against rate was higher. However, she still threw out 23 base stealers overall for the season, which also led MIAA catchers.

Below is the All-MIAA Softball Team for 2017.

2017 All-MIAA Softball Team
Player of the Year: Carrie Abrams, OF, Central Oklahoma
Pitcher of the Year: Emmie Robertson, Pittsburg State
Co-Defensive Players of the Year: Katie Klosterman, 3B, Missouri Western
Stormy Christerson, SS, Southwest Baptist
Freshman of the Year: Kala Holder, UT, Pittsburg State
Coach of the Year: Cody White, Central Oklahoma

1st Team
Pitcher: Emmie Robertson, Pittsburg State$
Pitcher: Jayden Chestnut, Central Oklahoma
Catcher: Tori Collett, Central Oklahoma^
First Base: Paige Gann, Northeastern State
Second Base: Myranda Stewart, Missouri Southern
Shortstop: Morgan Heard, Central Oklahoma^*
Third Base: Katie Klosterman, Missouri Western^
Outfield: Morgan Rathmann, Missouri Western^
Outfield: Carrie Abrams, Central Oklahoma
Outfield: Abi Corbett, Missouri Southern
Designated Player: Erica Harper, Washburn
Utility/Non-Pitcher: Kala Holder, Pittsburg State
Utility/Pitcher: Katie Giacone, Central Missouri
$= First team selection in 2015 & 2016
^= First team selection in 2016
*= Unanimous Selection

2nd Team
Pitcher: Peyton Walker, Central Oklahoma
Pitcher: Eryn Stockman, Emporia State
Catcher: Jacie Stephens, Emporia State
First Base: Carli Jones, Central Oklahoma
Second Base: Megan Schellert, Southwest Baptist
Shortstop: Shelbie Atwell, Missouri Western
Third Base: Haley Acrey, Northeastern State
Outfield: JoBi Heath, Central Oklahoma
Outfield: Sydney Washington, Missouri Western
Outfield: Jaidyn Mawhinney, Southwest Baptist
Designated Player: Ashleigh Tramel, Central Oklahoma
Designated Player: Shelby Friend, Missouri Southern
Utility/Non-Pitcher: Kaitlyn Weis, Northwest Missouri
Utility/Pitcher: Sierra Crick, Northeastern State
Note- Two designated players due to tie in the voting

Honorable Mention
Pitcher: Stormee Galla, Lindenwood; Barb Billingsley, Missouri Western; Taylor Blackford, Northwest Missouri; Kacey Ayers, Southwest Baptist; Claire Miller, Southwest Baptist; Kelsee Henry, Washburn.

Catcher: Tess Gray, Fort Hays State; Angel Badalamenti, Missouri Southern; Bekah Mueller, Missouri Western; Nicole Nease, Pittsburg State.

First Base: Lauren Mabe, Central Missouri; Macie Kinsey, Lincoln.

Second Base: Carlee Gann, Northeastern State; Torri Blythe, Northwest Missouri.

Shortstop: Sarah Glass, Emporia State, Austine Pauley, Lindenwood; Stormy Christerson, Southwest Baptist.

Third Base: Hailey Cope, Emporia State; Candace Bollig, Fort Hays State; Jordan Lawson, Lincoln; Chantel Adams, Northwest Missouri; Savannah Moore, Washburn.

Outfield: Makayla Schoonover, Central Missouri; Lauryn Deer, Central Missouri; Brooke Zukerman, Central Oklahoma; Caitlin VanVleck, Emporia State; Kiley Kerr, Lincoln; Elizabeth Windsor, Missouri Southern; Shelby Uhl, Missouri Western; Nicole Spykstra, Nebraska-Kearney; Ryan Martin, Northeastern State; Lawren McKinney, Pittsburg State.

Utility/Non-Pitcher: Abigail Gilson, Northwest Missouri.

Utility/Pitcher: Sarah Westoff, Lincoln.

FHSU Sports Information

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State head baseball coach Steve Johnson has announced a schedule change in this weekend’s series against Pittsburg State. Originally scheduled for Friday through Sunday (April 28-30), the series will instead be played Monday and Tuesday, May 1-2, with a doubleheader on Monday and a single game on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. both days.

A decision on the Pack the Park event, as well as Tuesday’s scheduled game at Newman University, will be made in the near future.

FHSU Sports Information

KEARNEY, Neb. – Freshman Ryan Ruder allowed two runs over 5 1/3 innings and redshirt-freshman Cody Starkel had three hits to lead Fort Hays State to a 7-4 over Nebraska-Kearney Wednesday night at Memorial Field, ending the Tigers 11-game losing streak. The win also snapped an 11-game road losing streak and improved the Tigers to 10-33 overall and 3-27 in the MIAA.

Steve Johnson Postgame Interview

Game Highlights

Ruder (3-2) struck out three and walked two while scattering six hits. Reliever Sam Capps gave up a double and a single after entering with one out in the sixth. He allowed only one hit the rest of the way and picked up his first save, allowing one earned run on three hits over 3 2/3 innings.

Starkel went 3-for-4 and hit a leadoff homer in a three-run seventh. He drove in the Tigers first run on a two-out single in the third.

Trevor Hughes blasted a two-run homer over the right field wall in the fifth to push the FHSU lead to 3-1.

Nick Hammeke and Clayton Basgall both doubled and had two hits.

The Tigers play their final home series this weekend with a three-game series against Pittsburg State. The first pitch for Friday is set for 7 pm and will be the annual “Pack the Park” game.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State Women’s Golf closed out its 2016-17 schedule at the MIAA Championship Tournament, held at Swope Memorial Golf Course. The course played as a par 72 for the three-round tournament. FHSU shot 1035 as a team, but made big improvements each round.

Hannah Perkins led the Tigers, tying for 14th individually. She was the only player on the team to card a round in the 70s, shooting 78 in the final round. She added rounds of 83 and 88 to start the tournament and finish with a total of 249.

Hannah Karasiuk tied for 29th with rounds of 91, 83, and 85. Taylor DeBoer was 30th, showing improvement in the last two rounds with scores of 91, 87, and 82. Tying for 38th, Kelsey McCarthy shot 92 her first two rounds before carding an 86 in the final round. Madison Roether was 41st, carding 89 the last two rounds following a 95 to open the tournament.

Northeastern State won the tournament as a team at 956. The RiverHawks were 25 strokes clear of Lindenwood and 29 clear of Central Oklahoma. Dakota Limkemann of Lindenwood won the tournament with rounds of 77, 79, and 75. She was 15-over par overall. Northeastern State had four of its five players in the top 10.

Fort Hays State improved 10 strokes in the second round with a 347 as a team, then improved 16 strokes more in the final round with a 331. The Tigers finished in front of Southwest Baptist and Lincoln.

FHSU Sports Information

SPRING HILL, Kan. – Fort Hays State Men’s Golf closed out the 2016-17 season on Wednesday (Apr. 26) at the MIAA Championship Tournament, held at Sycamore Ridge Golf Club. The course played as a par 72. The Tigers shot 972 as a team, averaging 324 as a team through the three rounds.

Skyler Tebo and Colton Bobek were the only Tigers to shoot in the 70s in two rounds. After a first round 80, Tebo shot consecutive rounds of 78 to close out the tournament and finish in a tie for 35th individually. Bobek was just a stroke back of Tebo in a tie for 38th after rounds of 78, 80, and 79. Jake Weller was the only other Tiger to shoot in the 70s at the tournament with a 79 in the second round. He finished in a tie for 50th, adding rounds of 82 and 80.

Cash Hobson figured into the team score the first two days with rounds of 84, 89, and 87, while Isaiah Grover figured into the team score in the final round, shooting 86, 91, and 85 for the tournament.

Central Oklahoma won the tournament as a team with a score of 884, three shots ahead of Washburn. Lindenwood was third, six shots off the lead. Alexander Hughes of Central Oklahoma was the tournament medalist with a total of 215 (1-under par overall) with rounds of 74, 71, and 70.

Fort Hays State also finished 11th in the MIAA regular season standings.

FHSU Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State Tennis had three student-athletes earn All-MIAA Tennis honors for the 2017 season. The teams are selected by head coaches in the MIAA. Natalie Lubbers and Nicole Lubbers each earned honors in singles play, while Laura Jimenez-Lendinez earned a share of the Sportsmanship Award with Lara Soares of Southwest Baptist.

The Lubbers sisters each earned honorable mention selections for their positions in singles play. Natalie earned the nod at No. 2 singles, while Nicole earned the distinction at No. 5 singles. Natalie went 9-12 overall in singles play, while Nicole finished 9-9 overall. The coaches vote on players designated on the ballot at each position.

Jimenez-Lendinez, the No. 1 singles player for FHSU throughout the year, shares the Sportsmanship Award with Southwest Baptist’s No. 1 singles player Lara Soares. Jimenez-Lendinez won five singles matches for the season.

Below is the All-MIAA Women’s Tennis Team for 2016-17.

2017 All-MIAA Women’s Tennis
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Madeline Hill, Washburn
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Ana Royo, Nebraska-Kearney
COACH OF THE YEAR
Lance Lysaught, Washburn
Co-SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Lara Soares, Southwest Baptist
Laura Jimenez-Lendinez, Fort Hays State

FIRST TEAM
1S: Madeline Hill, Washburn
2S: Val Efimenko, Northeastern State
3S: Caitlin McCullough, Northeastern State
4S: Klara Vickov, Southwest Baptist
5S: Sarah Brown, Southwest Baptist
6S: Betka Gomborova, Northeastern State
1D: PatVal Efimenko/Molly Worden, Northeastern State
2D: Klara Vickov/Lucia Diaz, Southwest Baptist
3D: Emma Neil/Amanda Alvarez, Nebraska-Kearney

SECOND TEAM
1S: Alli Hodges, Central Oklahoma
2S: Ana Royo, Nebraska-Kearney
3S: Logan Morrissey, Washburn
4S: Emma Neil, Nebraska-Kearney
5S: Emilie Semo, Central Oklahoma
6S: Jenny Bond, Central Oklahoma
1D: Lani Tuemmers/Lara Soares, Southwest Baptist
2D: Easton Parker/Caitlin McCullough, Northeastern State
3D: Karla Tomiac/Betka Gomborova, Northeastern State

Honorable Mention
#1S: Molly Worden, NSU; Lara Soares, SBU
#2S: Kirtana Bhat, UCO; Natalie Lubbers, FHSU
#3S: Alix Williams, UCO; Tania Teruel, NWMSU
#4S: Clara Piccamiglio, LWU; Karla Tomiac, NSU; Luiza Souza, NWMSU
#5S: Nicole Lubbers, FHSU; Easton Parker, NSU
#6S: Camryn Parnell, UNK; Tess Lovig, NWMSU
#1D: Alix Williams/Alli Hodges, UCO; Tawni Griffey/Camila Ramos, ESU; Madeline Hill/ Jacqueline Engelbrecht, WU
#2D: Kirtana Bhat/Shali Schoepflin, UCO ; Sthefani Rodriguez/Sherry Sun, UNK; Lorena Rivas/Aniek Kolen, NWMSU; Logan Morrissey/Makenna Gonzales, WU
#3D: Emilie Semo/Jenny Bond, UCO; Tess Lovig/Margaux Jacquet, NWMSU

FHSU Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Fort Hays State women’s golf team remains in eighth after day two of the 2017 MIAA Women’s Championship at Swope Memorial Golf Course Tuesday (April 25). The Tigers dropped 10 shots from round one to round two, firing a 347 on Tuesday.

Hannah Karasiuk led the team in round two with an 11-over 83, moving to 30-over for the tournament. Taylor DeBoer finished the second round with a 15-over 87, placing her at 34-over this week. Hannah Perkins signed for a 16-over 88, dipping to 18th overall at 27-over. Madison Roether (17-over 89) and Kelsey McCarthy (20-over 92) both sit at 40-over for the week.

Northeastern State still leads the team portion of the event, shooting a 26-over 314 to move to 59-over for the week, 19 shots in front of Central Oklahoma. Syndey Roberts from UCO moved from third to first in the individual standings after a 4-over 76, sitting at 10-over through 36 holes.

The Tigers will get started in round three at 9:20 a.m., going off No. 10 alongside Nebraska-Kearney and Northwest Missouri State.

FHSU Sports Information

SPRING HILL, Kan. – The Fort Hays State men’s golf team dropped to 11th after round two of the 2017 MIAA Men’s Championship Tuesday afternoon (April 25). The league is hosting this year’s event at the par-72, 7,081 yard Sycamore Ridge Golf Club. The Tigers struggled to a 38-over 326 on day two, two strokes worse than round one.

“We had our chances today,” said head coach Seth Kincaid. “Just couldn’t take advantage the majority of the time. All five guys have put together some good holes and played quality golf at times this week, but no one has been able to sustain it for an entire round.”

Skyler Tebo birdied No. 18 to finish 6-over 78, leading the team in round two. Overall, the junior is tied with Colton Bobek at 14-over, good for 35th in the field. Jake Weller fired a 7-over 79 after leading the team with 10 pars on the day, moving to 45th overall at 17-over for the week. Bobek had three more birdies Tuesday en route to an 8-over 80. The Plainville, Kan. native now has six on the week, two fewer than the leaders in that category. Cash Hobson signed for an 89 and is 29-over through two rounds, while Isaiah Grover finished with a 91 to dip to 33-over this week.

Central Missouri fired a 3-over 291 to jump into first overall (17-over 593), with Central Oklahoma one shot back after a 4-over 292. Missouri Western’s Kevin Kim followed up a first round 72 with a 70 Tuesday, leading the field at 2-under with 18 holes to play.

The Tigers will wrap up the season with the third round Wednesday (April 26) starting at 8:30 a.m. The team will go off No. 10 with Lincoln University.

FHSU Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State junior Candace Bollig earned MIAA Hitter of the Week honors on Tuesday (Apr. 25) for her efforts in the final week of the season. Bollig helped the Tigers go 4-2 in the final week, delivering two walk-off wins at the plate.

Bollig had a .529 batting average and 1.059 slugging percentage for the week. Her biggest performance helped FHSU earn a split in the conference doubleheader with Nebraska-Kearney in Hays as she hit a pair of two-run home runs in a 5-4 win. The latter of the two was a walk-off homer with FHSU trailing 4-3, down to its last strike in the seventh. Against Newman, she had a walk-off RBI double in the seventh to lift FHSU to a 4-3 win. Bollig finished the week with six RBI, five runs scored, and nine hits which included a double, triple, and two home runs.

For the week, she reached base in six of seven plate appearances against Newman, going 5-for-6 at the plate in that doubleheader. She was 3-for-6 at the plate in the conference doubleheader with UNK. She was 1-for-3 at the plate in the non-conference doubleheader with UNK, drawing five walks.

Bollig joined Claire Miller of Southwest Baptist for the weekly MIAA Player of the Week awards. Miller was tabbed the MIAA Pitcher of the Week.

HAYS, Kan. – Missouri Southern scored seven runs with two outs in the sixth inning and rallied past Fort Hays State 9-4 Monday afternoon and sweeps the three-game series at Larks Park. The Tigers have lost 11 straight and fall to 9-33 overall and 2-27 in the MIAA. The Lions improved to 24-22 overall and 16-16 in the conference.

Steve Johnson Postgame Interview

Game Highlights

The Tigers grabbed their first lead of the series in the second inning. Clayton Basgall doubled down the left field line and scored on Dayton Pomeroy’s single. Two batters later, Bryce Witchurch doubled to left center scoring Pomeroy.

Ben Ramberg held the Lions scoreless through 5 2/3 innings before leaving with a runner at first and two outs. MSSU then strung together four straight hits off freshman reliever Ryan Ruder to go up 3-2. Easton Palmer walked consecutive batters to force in another run then gave up a bases-loaded double to push the lead to 7-2.

Clayton Basgall recorded the final out of the sixth and threw 3 innings, allowing a pair of solo home runs in the eighth which stretched the Lions lead to 9-2.

The Tigers, who were held to one hit in the third through seventh innings, threatened in the eighth. Clayton Basgall was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive in a run, but a double-play ended the inning. They added their final run on a groundout from Ty Redington in the ninth.

Ruder (2-2) takes the loss, allowing four runs on four hits without recording an out.

Seth Mesey (3-3) picked up the win for the Lions going 7 1/3 innings allowing all three runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and two walks.

The Tigers return to action on Wednesday when the head north to take on Nebraska-Kearney for the third and final time this season. The first pitch is set for 6 pm. Auto World Pregame Show is at 5:40 pm on KJLS.