FHSU Athletics

EMPORIA, Kan. – Fort Hays State fell to 9-14 overall and 3-9 in the MIAA when it dropped the series finale to 19th ranked Emporia State on Sunday by a score of 7-4. The Hornets swept the three-game series and improved to 18-5 overall, 10-2 in the MIAA.

Emporia State jumped out to an early three-run lead in in the bottom of the first and remained in the lead the rest of the day. The Tigers gave up three more runs in the bottom of the fifth, another in the sixth, and saw themselves looking at a 7-0 deficit with just three innings to go.

The Tiger offense took a chunk out of the lead in the seventh inning when they pushed four runs across the plate. With a runner on first, Jace Bowman singled up the middle.  Nick Hammeke then got hit by a pitch to load the bases. After a pitching change, Ty Redington brought home the first run of the day for the Tigers when he walked. After an error and a wild pitch plated two more runs, Austin Unrein made the score 7-4 with a groundout RBI.

Even with the momentum shifted in favor of FHSU, Hornet reliever Shane Davies got the final six outs of the game to earn a save. He allowed just one hit and a walk, while striking out two. Jordan Plank picked up the win, going 6.1 innings in his start with three runs (two earned) allowed on five hits and two walks. Plank struck out four.

Kyle Vogt suffered the loss for the Tigers and now sits at 2-5 on the season. He lasted 4 1/3 innings and allowed six runs on eight hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

The Tigers, who have lost seven straight, get one day off before they are at it again. They travel to Topeka to take on Washburn for a single game on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 4 pm. You can hear the game on KAYS (1400-AM) beginning with the Auto World Pregame Show at 3:45 pm.

FHSU Athletics

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State swept Lincoln University in a conference doubleheader on Sunday at Tiger Stadium. FHSU shutout Lincoln in game one 5-0 before taking the second contest 9-4. FHSU moved to 12-17 overall and 6-6 in the MIAA, while Lincoln dropped to 2-27 overall and 1-11 in the MIAA.

Game 1: Fort Hays State 5, Lincoln 0
Paxton Duran threw her second shutout of the season and struck out nine to help FHSU to a 5-0 victory. She scattered four hits and hit one batter, but did not allow any walks. She improved to 7-10 on the season with the win.

Veronica Knittig opened the scoring for the Tigers in the third with a solo homer to left field. Erin Elmore followed with a double and then Rilee Krier  singled before Tori Beltz drove both of them home on a smash single up the middle. FHSU added a run in the fifth on a Duran RBI single and a Lincoln fielding error led to a run in the sixth.

Macie Kinsey took the loss for Lincoln. She pitched 3.0 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits. Madison Ragar also pitched three innings and allowed one run.

Game 2: Fort Hays State 9, Lincoln 4
Fort Hays State took an early 1-0 lead in game two on a Kylie Strand RBI single in the first, but a pair of errors by the Tigers in the second led to three Lincoln runs. FHSU trailed Lincoln 3-1 through three innings before breaking through in the fourth.

The Tigers scored six runs in the fourth on five hits and a Lincoln error led to two unearned runs in the inning. FHSU plated the first run on a wild pitch, then Rilee Krier delivered a game tying RBI single. Tori Beltz nearly in a grand slam as her blast hit high off the wall in left center, resulting in a two-RBI double to give FHSU a 5-3 lead. Strand later had an RBI groundout and Chermayne Yago also drove home a run with a single.

FHSU tacked on two more runs in the sixth on a Beltz two-run homer. Lincoln plated one run in the seventh, but it was too little, too late. Beltz went 3-for-4 at the plate in the game with four RBI.

Carrie Clarke went the distance for FHSU in the pitching circle, allowing four runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks. She struck out a season-high five batters.

Lauren Stamp took the loss for Lincoln, allowing seven runs (five earned) on seven hits and a walk. Sarah Westhoff threw five innings for Lincoln and gave up just two runs.

The Tigers now head on the road for a couple of weeks. FHSU will have conference doubleheaders at Northeastern State and Central Oklahoma next week before heading to Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri State the following week.

FHSU Athletics

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State earned a split in a wild doubleheader at Tiger Stadium on Saturday. After dropping the first game 10-8 in 11 innings, the Tigers outlasted Lindenwood in game two setting a school record for runs in a 26-18 win. FHSU is now 10-7 overall and 4-6 in the MIAA, while Lindenwood moved to 7-21 overall and 4-8 in the MIAA.

Game 1: Lindenwood 10, Fort Hays State 8 (11 innings)
Fort Hays State was just one strike away from taking game one with a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh, but Caitlyn Touchette of Lindenwood extended the game with a two-out RBI single. Another single led to two more runs and the Lions had a 6-4 lead heading to the bottom of the seventh.

With a runner on second, FHSU was down to its last out when pitcher Paxton Duran tied the game 6-6 with a two-run homer to left center field. It was Duran’s second homer of the game after hitting a solo shot in the fourth. The two home runs in a game tied the school record held by several other Tigers.

Each team scored a run in the ninth to push the game to the international tiebreaker in the 10^th. Duran extended the game one more time for FHSU with an RBI triple, giving her four RBI for the game.

Both teams were able to plate the runner from second in the 10th, but Lindenwood put up two runs in the 11^th. The Tigers had the heart of their lineup at the plate in the 11th, but went 1-2-3 with a pair of flyouts and a groundout to end the game.

Duran went all 11 innings in the pitcher’s circle for FHSU allowing six earned runs. She allowed 15 hits and three walks, while striking out seven. Morgan Colvis also went the distance for Lindenwood in the circle, allowing four earned runs. She gave up 11 hits and four walks, while striking out nine.

Kylie Strand drove home three runs in the contest as her two-run homer in the fourth gave FHSU the 4-3 lead it held going into the seventh.

Game 2: Fort Hays State 26, Lindenwood 18
Both teams set the tone for a wild offensive contest in game two as the Lions plated three runs and the Tigers plated six in the first inning. Lindenwood took the lead back with a nine spot in the second inning, but it was short lived as the Tigers scored seven in the second to take a 13-12 lead. Lindenwood scored three more in the third, but the Tigers put up six once again and held a 19-15 lead going to the fourth. The 19 runs had already tied a school record for runs in a game after just three innings.

Both teams went scoreless in the fourth, but the run scoring commenced again in the fifth as Lindenwood got three to pull within one at 19-18, but the Tigers countered with five to make it 24-18. With FHSU able to hold the Lions scoreless once again in the sixth, FHSU ended the game by run-rule in the sixth with two more runs, making the final of 26-18. The 26 runs shattered the school record by seven, but came up just one short of the MIAA record of 27.

Working the scoreless fourth for FHSU was Rilee Krier, making the first pitching appearance of her career as a Tiger. By entering in relief at the start of the fourth, she earned the win, even though she still gave up three runs in the fifth before handing the ball to Paxton Duran. Duran was able to get the final two outs of the fifth and closed out the game, earning her first save of the season. Carrie Clarke pitched the first three innings for the Tigers.

Lindenwood went through four pitchers in the game and its third of the game, Brooke Miller took the loss. Miller surrendered 13 of the runs in 3.1 innings of relief. The first two pitchers of the game lasted just a combined inning, giving up 11 runs together.

Despite the loss, Lindenwood set a new MIAA single game record for hits with 26 as a team in the game. FHSU was not far behind with 21. The Tigers set a new school record for RBI in a game, recording 22 as a team to break the old record of 18. Courtney Dobson tied the school record for runs in a game with five and Kylie Strand set a new single game record for walks with four.

Erin Elmore led the Tigers in RBI with five, while Claudia Vazquez and Tori Beltz each had four. Beltz had the only homer in the game for FHSU, a two-run shot. Clarke, despite a tough game in the pitching circle, went 2-for-2 at the plate with two RBI in her first-ever collegiate at bats.

Four Lindenwood players recorded a four-hit game and Maria Tippit led the Lions in RBI for the game with six.

The Tigers return to Tiger Stadium on Sunday (Mar. 20) for a doubleheader with Lincoln University starting at 1 pm.

EMPORIA, Kan. – No. 19 Emporia State scored a run in the bottom of the ninth inning to hold off a Fort Hays State rally and beat the Tigers 5-4 Saturday afternoon at Glennen Field in the Trusler Sports Complex. The Tigers (9-13, 3-8 MIAA) have lost six straight while the Hornets (17-5, 9-2) win their third straight.

Tiger reliever Kyle Vogt gave up a leadoff double followed by a bunt single to open the bottom of the ninth. Wade Hanna drove in the game-winner with a one-out single to left. Hanna also hit a 2-run homer in the first to give the Hornets the early lead.

Vogt takes the loss, allowing one run on three hits in 1 1/3 innings. Starter Logan Herd gave up four runs on four hits over 6 1/3 innings. Herd walked six and struck out two.

The Hornets led 3-0 after two innings, but the  rallied with a run in the third then scored single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to tie the game 4-4.

FHSU lost despite outhitting ESU 14-8. Alex Weiss had four hits while Caleb Cherryholmes, Ty Redington and Austin Unrein all had two.

Cherryholmes, Weiss and Joe Mapes all had RBI singles for the Tigers who look to salvage the final game of the series Sunday afternoon.

FHSU Athletics

EMPORIA, Kan. – Fort Hays State fell in the series opener at No. 19 ranked Emporia State on Friday evening by a score of 6-2. The Tigers fell behind 5-0 before finally scratching a pair of runs across in the eighth, but Emporia State closed the door in the ninth. FHSU moved to 9-12 overall, 3-7 in the MIAA, while ESU improved to 16-5 overall and 8-2 in the MIAA.

Fort Hays State was held scoreless by ESU starter Tyler Stubblefield through seven innings until finally getting to him in the eighth. The Tigers loaded the bases and then Caleb Cherryholmes drove the first run home on a fielder’s choice before Austin Unrein singled in another run. Jacob Tetuan entered in relief to get the final out of the eighth as the Tigers had the tying run at the plate. A groundout ended the threat.

Garrett Brummett took the mound in the ninth and worked a 1-2-3 inning against the Tigers to preserve the win for Stubblefield. Stubblefield went 7.2 innings in his start, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts. D.J. Carr took the loss, going 4 2/3 innings in his start. Two of the four runs he allowed were earned on five hits and four walks, while he struck out two. Casey Sedbrook pitched 2/3 innings of relief, allowing a run, then Jackson Rolfs pitched 2 2/3 innings and allowed a run, but struck out two.

Unrein and Alex King each had two hits in the contest, while Nick Hammeke and Clayton Basgall scored the Tiger runs.

The Tigers and Hornets return to action in Emporia Saturday at 1 pm.

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State Softball has made an adjustment to its schedule due to the forecasted weather for Friday in the Hays area. FHSU will still play doubleheaders against Lindenwood and Lincoln, but the games are now scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

The doubleheader with Lindenwood remains the same, a 1 pm start on Saturday at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers were originally scheduled to play Lincoln on Friday, but that doubleheader has now moved to Sunday, also a 1 pm start.

FHSU Athletics

GOLDEN, Colo. – Fort Hays State dropped a pair of games at Colorado Mines on Wednesday, each by one run. The Orediggers got a walk-off single to win game one 1-0, then rallied past the Tigers in the middle of game two for a 5-4 win. FHSU moved to 9-16 overall on the season, while the Orediggers improved to 9-14 overall.

Game 1: Colorado Mines 1, Fort Hays State 0
An error to begin the bottom of the seventh proved costly in a 1-0 loss in the first game. Pitcher Paxton Duran did not help her own cause by dropping a pop up on the infield. As a result, the runner eventually made it to third and came in to score on a two-out single by Brielle Asato.

Duran danced out of danger several times in the game when the Orediggers had runners in scoring position. A double play on a fly out, cutting down an Oredigger runner at the plate in the fifth kept the game scoreless all the way until the seventh.

The Tigers left six runners on base in the game, unable to score any runs in four innings where they had a runner reach at least second base.

Hallie Smith went the distance in the circle for Colorado Mines in the win, striking out seven and allowing just three hits and a walk over seven innings. Duran took the loss for FHSU, allowing six hits with three strikeouts in 6.2 innings of work.

Game 2: Colorado Mines 5, Fort Hays State 4
After struggling offensively in game one, the Tigers got off to a good start in game two, plating single runs in the first and second and a pair in the third. The Tigers had a 4-1 lead through three innings.

Courtney Dobson started the scoring in the first with an RBI single down the right field line. In the second, McKenzie Villarreal provided a pinch hit sacrifice fly RBI to put FHSU back on top 2-1 after the Orediggers plated a run in the first as well. In the third, the Tigers loaded the bases and Kylie Strand had an RBI single and Madeline LaPolla an RBI walk to push the lead to 4-1. However, two straight fielder’s choice grounders resulted in runners getting cut down at the plate by force and the threat ended with another groundout.

After retiring the first batter of the fourth, Tiger pitcher Carrie Clarke ran into trouble by walking consecutive batters and then allowing a single to load the bases. The Orediggers recorded another single and after one run crossed the plate, the runner from second attempted to come home, but stopped short of the plate on a good throw from the outfield. However, catcher Erin Elmore threw the ball wide of third base in the potential run-down play allowing the run to score anyway. An RBI groundout tied the game, which should have been the third out of the inning, and then an RBI double with two outs pushed the Orediggers in front. In all, four of the six runs allowed by the Tigers on the day over both games were unearned.

The Tigers loaded the bases in the fifth, but a strikeout ended the threat, then put a runner on in the sixth and seventh but could not get them any further than first base.

Maddie Rogers picked up the win for Colorado Mines, going 4.2 innings. She allowed nine hits and six walks while giving up four runs. Hallie Smith, who blanked the Tigers in game one, came in for the last 2.1 innings to earn the save. She got the Orediggers out of the bases-loaded jam in the fifth.

Clarke took the loss for FHSU, allowing five runs (two earned) on eight hits and four walks, with four strikeouts.

Fort Hays State looks to get back on track in conference play Friday and Saturday at home. The Tigers host Lincoln University in a doubleheader at 2 pm on Friday and Lindenwood University in a doubleheader at 1 pm on Saturday.