LIBERAL, Kan.-100 minutes of soccer was not enough to decide a winner on Thursday evening in Liberal as Hays High and Liberal squared off in a physical Western Athletic Conference match-up. The Lady Indians controlled the ball for most of the match on enemy turf but it wasn’t sufficient to pick up the victory. Hays out shot Liberal 10-1 but could not find the back of the net in the 0-0 tie.
Both teams would not back down from each other. Liberal had one player ejected after receiving her second yellow card for what was a second extremely hard foul. Hays moves to 3-2-1 after the tie. The Lady Indians will travel to Junction City on Monday to face the Lady Jays.
DODGE CITY, Kan. – The Hays High softball team dropped both ends of their Western Athletic Conference opener to Dodge City Thursday. The Red Demons used a five-run fifth to break open a one-run game and won 12-4. They scored three in the bottom of the seventh capped with a two-run walkoff homer from Madeline Kalscheur and took the second game 6-5.
Kaitlyn Brown had two of the Indians (3-5, 0-2 WAC) seven hits and scored two runs. She allowed nine runs, seven earned, on seven hits and suffered the loss.
Jaysa Wichers took the loss in game two, surrendering six runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings. She went 3-fof-3 at the plate.
HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State fell twice on Thursday (Apr. 5) to MIAA-leading Washburn in extra innings. The Tigers rallied for two runs in the seventh inning of Game 1 to force extras, but eventually fell in 10 innings 4-3. They rallied back from a 6-0 deficit in Game 2 with five runs in the fifth and one in the sixth, but fell in eight innings 7-6. FHSU moved to 11-31 overall, 7-13 in the MIAA, while Washburn moved to 31-8 overall, 15-1 in the MIAA. It was the second straight day both games of a doubleheader were decided by one run, but this time the Tigers were on the short end in each game.
Adrian Pilkington Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
Game 1: Washburn 4, Fort Hays State 3 (10 inn.) Washburn jumped out to a 3-0 lead through three innings in the first game of the doubleheader. A throwing error to open the game led to a two-run first inning for Washburn. A triple in the third led to another run in the third.
The Tigers went hitless through the first 3.2 innings against Washburn starting pitcher Megan Deiter, who entered the contest with a record of 13-0 and a sub-2.00 ERA. Grace Philop picked up the first hit for the Tigers in the fourth on a lined shot to the right center gap for a double. An inning later, Sara Breckbill put the first run on the board for FHSU with a solo home run to left center field.
Down 3-1 going into the bottom of the seventh, the Tigers finally broke through against Deiter. Bailey Boxberger led off the inning with a single then Veronica Knittig put down a sacrifice bunt. After Breckbill flied out to left field, Tess Gray drew an important walk to put runners at second and first.
Bailey Kennedy, who joined the team in the middle of the game due to an academic obligation, came off the bench and got her timing down after a couple of strikes. She fouled off three pitches before finally lining a single to left center. Jeni Mohr came around to score from second after pinch running for Boxberger to make it 3-2. Washburn coach Brenda Holaday opted to turn the ball over to Lexi Crabtree in relief of Deiter. It did not pay off as Lily Sale dumped a single over the head of the second baseman and tied the game 3-3.
Neither team scored in the first two extra innings, but Washburn benefitted from a dropped throw at first base in the 10th. As the ball dribbled away, a runner came in to score from third base. It was the second unearned run of the game for Washburn. It proved to be the game-winner as the Tigers could not get a runner across in the bottom half of the inning. Kennedy wound up going 2-for-2 in the game, getting another base hit in the 10th. She reached second base, but the game ended on a ground out.
Hailey Chapman danced out of danger in the pitching circle throughout the game, stranding 14 Washburn runners in the game. That helped limit the damage by an Ichabod squad that finished the game with 18 hits. She threw all 10 innings for FHSU, striking out five.
Crabtree picked up the win in 3.1 innings of relief for Washburn. She allowed just two hits and struck out one. Deiter, getting no decision, remained undefeated on the year. She threw 6.2 innings and struck out 10, while allowing five hits.
Game 2: Washburn 7, Fort Hays State 6 (8 inn.) Washburn looked to be running away with game two of the doubleheader, but like in Game 1, the Tigers started a comeback in the fifth inning once again. This time the rally was twice as big in terms of runs. Washburn led 6-0 through 4.5 innings, but the Tigers rallied for five in the fifth and one in the sixth to force extra innings for the second straight game.
Washburn jumped out of the gates fast with three runs in the first inning on five hits. A solo home run in the fourth made it 4-0, then a sacrifice fly and an RBI-double added two more runs in the fifth.
Washburn pitcher Kelsee Henry was cruising along through four innings, but ran into a parade of four straight hits by the Tigers in the fifth to chase her from the game. Tess Gray put the Tigers on the board with an RBI double to left field. Lily Sale singled to put runners at first and third and then she stole second. Candace Bollig drove in two runs with a single up the middle, cutting the Washburn lead in half to 6-3. Terran Caldwell followed with a double to the left center gap to plate another run and make Washburn go to Lexi Crabtree in the pitching circle once again. With two outs, Bailey Boxberger kept the Tiger rally going with an RBI single up the middle.
The Tigers continued to apply the pressure in the sixth as Veronica Knittig led off with a single. Tess Gray picked up her second straight double and drove in Knittig all the way from first. Knittig was ruled safe at the plate on an overturned call by the umpire. Though she was tagged out initially, obstruction of the plate was called on the catcher, not allowing Knittig a legal path to home plate. The Tigers nearly had the go-ahead run score on a pinch hit single up the middle by Sarah Kay, but pinch runner Sydney Harsh was thrown out at the plate by the center fielder. Again, the catcher blocked off the plate as Harsh slid into her leg in front of the plate, but this time the umpires did not rule obstruction.
Neither team scored in the seventh, forcing extras once again, but Washburn prevailed once again thanks to a solo home run in the eighth by Taylor Kirk. It was her second solo homer of the game after doing the same back in the fourth inning. The Tigers got a pair of one-out singles in the bottom of the eighth, but Crabtree got a pair of strikeouts to end the game.
Sierra Rodriguez pitched all eight innings for FHSU, allowing 13 hits. She struck out one. Crabtree earned her second straight win in relief for the day, moving to 5-5 on the season. She allowed one run on six hits, with three strikeouts over 3.2 innings of work. Henry pitched the first 4.1 innings, allowing five runs on six hits.
The Tigers go on the road for very important MIAA games at Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri State next weekend. They need to make a charge in the MIAA standings as the top eight qualify for the MIAA Tournament.
HAYS, Kan. – The TMP-Marian baseball team is off to a 4-0 start after a pair of wins over Dodge City in their home opener Thursday. The Monarchs scored seven in the fifth inning to rally from a 4-3 deficit and won the opener 11-6. Brady Kreutzer and Brady Gottschalk both had three of the Monarchs 13 hits. Tate Garcia drove in three runs.
Trent Mayo picked up the win allowing two runs on six hits in four innings of relief.
The Monarchs scored seven in the first inning of game two then held on for a 12-6 win. Creighton Renz drove in three runs while Gavin Schumacher and Chase Werth both knocked in two.
Tate Garcia picked up the win, going five innings allowing five runs on one hit with two strikeouts. Carson Jacobs threw two innings of relief to close out the game.
GARDEN CITY, Kan. – The TMP-Marian softball team split their doubleheader with Garden City Thursday. The Monarchs (1-3) scored five runs in the sixth to break open a two run game and won the opener 8-2. Anna Gottschalk had four hits including two doubles and drove in three runs. Bailey Lacy allowed one earned run on six hits for the complete game victory.
The Buffs turned the tables in the second game, scoring five in the sixth and rallied for a 7-3 win. Gottschalk had two hits and drove in two runs helping the Monarchs build a 3-2 lead. Lacy suffered the loss, allowing seven runs, three earned on seven hits.
HAYS, Kan. – The Fort Hays State baseball team jumped out to a seven-run lead before William Jewell rallied to take Thursday’s non-conference contest, 18-11. The Tigers dip to 13-22 overall while the Cardinals are now 14-12 this season, completing the season sweep of FHSU.
The Tigers jumped out to a quick start, batting around in the first inning to score four runs after WJC went down quietly in the top of the first. Back-to-back errors allowed the first two batters to reach safely before Alex Weiss and Dayton Pomeroy both singled to put the Tigers in front 2-0. Marcus Altman came through with a two-out base hit after an intentional walk, giving the Tigers a 4-0 lead after pulling a sharp single to left.
The Cardinals pushed one run across in the second before Fort Hays State added a pair in the home half of the inning. Addison Kaasch led off with a triple to right center, dropping one in on the warning track just out of the reach of the sprinting Cardinal center fielder. Clayton Basgall drove him home with a sacrifice fly before Dayton Pomeroy lifted a sky shot down the left field line, circling the bases after his 12th home run of the season.
After reliever Alex Ruxlow retired the Cardinals in order in the third inning, FHSU stretched its lead to seven after a leadoff walk to Ryan Grasser. Jordan Wilkerson then stepped up to the plate and crushed a 1-0 pitch sailing over the fence in left center, putting the Tigers in front 8-1.
William Jewell added single runs in the fourth and fifth innings before the Tigers went back up by seven on another home run. Another leadoff walk, this time to Cody Starkel, brought Grasser to the dish with one on and no outs. The Tiger second baseman unloaded on a 2-0 pitch, sending it soaring over the wall in left center to make the score 10-3.
The Cardinals started creeping back into the game with four runs in the sixth before tying things up at 10-10 with a trio of runs in the seventh. They added eight runs over the final two innings, totaling four home runs and six unearned runs over the final five innings. Weiss swatted the eighth home run of the game in the bottom of the ninth, going the opposite way with his third long ball of the season.
The Tigers will have the weekend off before traveling to Kearney, Neb. to take on the Lopers of Nebraska-Kearney next Wednesday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State had a good start to the week in conference play on Wednesday (Apr. 4) with a doubleheader sweep of Emporia State at home. The Tigers rallied for a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to win the first game 2-1 before hanging on for a 4-3 win in the nightcap. FHSU improved to 11-29 overall, 7-11 in the MIAA, while ESU dropped to 14-26 overall, 5-11 in the MIAA.
Game 1: Fort Hays State 2, Emporia State 1 Emporia State pitcher Montana Mesler kept the Tigers off the scoreboard for six innings until the Tigers finally broke through with a seventh-inning rally. Fort Hays State pitcher Sierra Rodriguez did a good job matching Mesler, with her only run allowed in the sixth inning.
The teams were scoreless through five innings, both with just two hits to that point. A breakdown in communication by the Tigers led to the game’s first run in the top of the sixth when Kenzie Garvin of ESU popped a ball up on the infield. With a strong crosswind, the ball drifted between shortstop and third base, but neither Tiger fielder went for the ball and it fell safely. With all infielders out of position, Garvin continued on to second base for a double. McKenna Davis followed with a single and moved up on a throw to put runners at second and third and no outs.
Candace Bollig was able to thwart one sacrifice bunt attempt, throwing the batter out at first without allowing baserunners to advance. However, Caitlin VanVleck followed with a well-placed squeeze bunt toward third base that Bollig overran on her fielding attempt. The runner was already well down the line when she tried to field the ball, so there may have been no chance to get the runner at the plate. Rodriguez buckled down to get a pop up on the infield and a swinging strikeout to strand the bases loaded.
The Tigers put together a game-winning rally in their final at bat. Bailey Boxberger led off the seventh inning with a walk, then Bailey Kennedy followed with a single to right center field. With Jeni Mohr running for Boxberger, Sara Breckbill put down a sacrifice bunt, but the Hornets chose to go for the force play at third. Mohr beat out the throw by an eyelash to create a bases loaded situation with no outs.
Veronica Knittig wasted no time in getting home the tying run with an RBI single to left center field. That left the bases loaded for Tess Gray, who grounded into a fielder’s choice as the Hornet first baseman cut down the potential game-winning run at home plate. However, Mesler struggled with her command immediately after as Lily Sale drew a walk to give the Tigers a 2-1 win in walk-off fashion.
Rodriguez finished with five hits and a walk allowed to go with four strikeouts. She picked up her sixth win of the season in the circle. Mesler also had a complete game in 6.1 innings of work. She allowed the two runs on four hits and three walks.
Game 2: Fort Hays State 4, Emporia State 3 Grace Philop was the difference for the Tigers in game two, putting the Tigers ahead twice with her 3-for-4 performance at the plate and three RBI. She picked up all of her RBIs in clutch, two-out situations.
Emporia State opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first, but Fort Hays State matched it with a run in the bottom half of the inning. Three singles loaded the bases before Bailey Boxberger drew a walk to force in a run.
In the second inning, Philop pulled a ball into right field for a single that scored runners from second and third, putting the Tigers up 3-1. After Emporia State tied the game with a two-out, two-RBI single in the fourth, the Philop answered in the bottom half of the inning with a screaming grounder down the left field line that glanced the third base bag on the way by and plated what turned into the game-winning run.
Hailey Chapman settled in over the final three innings for a complete game win. Just two of her 10 hits allowed occurred during the final three innings. She allowed a walk and struck out three, picking up her fourth win of the season.
Destiny Ojigoh took the loss for Emporia State, allowing all four runs in a complete game effort. She allowed 11 hits and three walks to the Tigers, moving to 4-6 on the season.
HAYS, Kan. – Despite trailing by three with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the Fort Hays State baseball team pulled out its second-consecutive victory Wednesday afternoon at Larks Park, defeating Washburn 8-7 on a walk-off walk to Clayton Basgall. The Tigers sent 10 men to the plate in the final inning, scoring five runs to come away victorious.
The Tigers are now 13-21 on the year and 5-16 in MIAA play, while the Ichabods dip to 10-22 this season and 4-17 in conference action.
Steve Johnson Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
Fort Hays State used 10 hits and took advantage of four Ichabod errors to score its eight runs, half of which were unearned. WU countered with seven runs on 11 hits and a pair of Tiger defensive miscues.
The Tigers went into their final at bat trailing 7-3, having not scored since the fourth inning. That all changed when a pitch hit Basgall to spark the big frame. Alex Weiss sent a potential double play ball to the mound in the next at bat, but the Ichabod pitcher mishandled the grounder and the only play was at first. Dayton Pomeroy then pulled a single to right to put runners on the corners before Cody Starkel lifted a sacrifice fly to deep center, putting the Tigers within three but giving them two outs in the inning.
Ryan Grasser singled to right center in the following at bat, forcing the Ichabods to bring in their closer, Zach Linquist. The righty walked Jordan Wilkerson to load the bases before Marcus Altman came through with a huge base hit, dropping a two-RBI single into left center. With the Tigers now down only one, Bryce Baumwart got the call as a pinch hitter. The junior reached base after the second baseman booted a potential game-ending ground ball, allowing Wilkerson to score and tie things up at seven.
A walk to Addison Kaasch brought Basgall back to the plate with the score tied, the bases loaded and two men out. Basgall fell behind 0-2 before battling back to create an epic 13-pitch at bat. After fighting off six-straight pitches, the senior watched ball four sail out of the strike zone to give the Tigers their first walk-off win of the season.
A strong relief outing from Ryan Ruder (4-4) put the Tigers in position to come from behind and win. The sophomore tossed 5.1 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just four hits while striking out a pair. He faced four or fewer batters in every inning he pitched.
Ben Ramberg got the start for the Tigers, giving up a pair of extra-base hits to the first two batters before settling down to retire nine of the next 11 batters he faced. The Ichabods chased the Topeka native in the fourth after three hits and a walk, giving Ramberg a final line of 3.2 innings pitched, seven runs on seven hits and three strikeouts.
After watching the Ichabods open the game with a double, Kaasch did the same in the bottom of the first, drilling a 1-1 pitch over the center fielder’s head. The junior moved to third on a sacrifice bunt before sprinting home when Weiss sent a sharp grounder to second. The Ichabod defender chose to come home with his throw, but Kaasch slid in safely just before the tag was applied.
Fort Hays State trailed 7-1 in the bottom of the fourth before Wilkerson started another two-out rally with a triple to deep center field. The Woodbury, Minn. native came in to score when Altman reached on an error. Jason Nicholson reached on a second-straight error by the shortstop in the following plate appearance before Kaasch singled to load the bases. Basgall picked up his first RBI of the day when he was hit by a pitch, putting the Tigers within 7-3 after four innings.
Basgall finished the afternoon with two RBI and a run after going 1-for-2 with a walk and two HBP. Kaasch, Altman and Grasser all collected two hits in the win, with Altman adding two RBI and Wilkerson scoring twice.
The Tigers will look to win three-straight games for the first time since the first three games of the season Thursday (April 5) when FHSU hosts William Jewell at noon from Larks Park.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) – Malik Newman plans to leave Kansas and enter the NBA draft after leading the Jayhawks to the Final Four in his only season playing for them.
The sophomore guard says Wednesday he plans to sign with an agent.
Newman sat out the 2016-17 season after transferring from Mississippi State and started 33 of 39 games this season, earning Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honors. He was at his best in the postseason, averaging 24 points in the Big 12 Tournament and 21.6 in the NCAA Tournament, including a career-high 32 points in the overtime victory over Duke in the Midwest Region final.
He was voted the Most Outstanding Player of both the conference tournament and the regional.
DODGE CITY, Kan. – The Hays High baseball needed only eight innings to score 32 runs on 29 hits as they roll past Dodge City 20-1 and 12-2 to move to 4-0.
The Indians scored 10 runs in both the second and third innings of the first game which was called after three by run rule. Palmer Hutchison had two doubles and a triple and drove in four to lead the Indians 21 hit attack. Cole Murphy allowed one run on four hits for the win in game one.
Trey Riggs gave up two runs on three hits for the game two victory. Murphy and Hunter Brown both had two hits while Riggs drove in three.
HAYS, Kan.-It was a classic Western Athletic Conference soccer battle in Hays on Tuesday afternoon as the Hays High Lady Indians and the Dodge City Lady Demons tangled. The cold and windy conditions proved to be difficult to handle as quality shots on goal were hard to come by. Hays High used the strong northerly wind to control the ball on the Dodge City half of the field in the first half but could not find the back of the net as the two teams played to a 0-0 tie at the break.
The Lady Indians continued to control the ball and the pace in the second half giving Dodge City very few opportunities to score. Hays was able to place a couple of quality shots on goal only to have them turned back by some nice saves by the Lady Demon keeper. After regulation, the score remained 0-0.
The first 10 minute overtime failed to produce a goal for either team but it didn’t take long to end things in overtime number two. With the wind at their backs the Lady Indians made a run towards the Dodge City goal and Hannah McGuire found Savannah Schneider on the left side and Schneider punched the ball in the left edge of the goal to give Hays the 1-0 victory.
It was the fifth goal of the season for Schneider. Hays High improves to 3-2 on the season and 1-0 in the WAC. They have little time to celebrate as they will hit the road on Thursday to face Liberal.
DETROIT (AP) – Jake Junis took a shutout into the eighth inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 1-0 on Tuesday for their first victory of the season.
On a chilly, rainy day – with snow a possibility on Wednesday – the Tigers and Royals breezed through nine innings in 2 hours, 17 minutes. Jorge Soler, who still doesn’t have a major league hit since July 2, drove in the game’s only run with a sacrifice fly in the second.
Junis (1-0) allowed three hits in seven-plus innings. The 25-year-old right-hander walked one and struck out six before being lifted following Mikie Mahtook’s leadoff single in the eighth.
Justin Grimm finished that inning, and Kelvin Herrera struck out two in a perfect ninth for his first save.
Matthew Boyd (0-1) was sharp for the Tigers, allowing a run and four hits in six innings.
The only run came after Cheslor Cuthbert led off the second with a flare that dropped over first baseman Miguel Cabrera and bounced down the line. By the time Cabrera retrieved the ball, Cuthbert had a double. He went to third on a flyout and scored on Soler’s flyball.
Soler went 0 for 2 and is hitless in his last 31 at-bats in the majors.
Cabrera struck out with two on in the third, and the Tigers missed a scoring chance in the fourth when James McCann hit what looked at first like a clean line drive up the middle. Second baseman Whit Merrifield was shifted over, however, and made the catch – then doubled Nicholas Castellanos off first.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Royals: 1B Lucas Duda sat out after leaving Monday’s game with right hamstring tightness.
Tigers: Manager Ron Gardenhire said RHP Mike Fiers (lumbar strain) felt good after throwing a simulated game.
UP NEXT
Detroit’s Daniel Norris faces Kansas City’s Danny Duffy (0-1) on Wednesday, weather permitting.
