By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post

The Fort Hays State softball team lost both of their games Thursday at the MIAA tournament to end their season. The eighth-seeded Tigers lost their opener 5-3 to regular season champ Central Missouri then fell 8-0 in five innings to Missouri Western, ending their season at 26-27. It’s just the second time the Tigers have finished 0-2 in the MIAA tournament and the first since their first tourney in 2007.

Adrian Mohr Postgame Interview

Game 1 Highlights

The Tigers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead against the Jennies in the opener, scoring a run in the first and two in the second but were held hitless over the final five innings by UCM reliever Katie Shockley. The Jennies scored single runs in the third and fourth then tied the game in the sixth on a throwing error by right fielder Rilee Krier. UCM followed with back to back hits to take their first lead of the game.

Kelsey Kimminau (13-11) takes the loss, allowuing all five runs on eight hits while striking out five and walking one.

FHSU was held to just three hits against Missouri Western. The Griffons scored a run in the first then added four inteh third and three in the fifth. Paxton Duran (16-11) takes the loss, allowing eight runs (four earned) on 12 hits, striking out six and walking four.

Six of the Griffons 12 hits went for extra bases including five doubles.

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State Softball had seven players named to the All-MIAA Team, released on Thursday (Apr. 30). All seven earned honorable mention selections, which included Kelsey Kimminau and Paxton Duran at pitcher, Tori Beltz at first base, Amanda Vaupel and Samantha Villarreal in the outfield, and Courtey Dobson and Kylie Strand as utility/non-pitcher.

The complete list of the All-MIAA team is listed below.

Kimminau earned her first All-MIAA honor as a Tiger. The Aurora, Colo., senior led the team in wins in the regular season, going 13-10 in the circle with a 3.00 ERA. She has also thrown 16 complete games and three shutouts, striking out 72 in 144.2 innings pitched.

Duran earned the second All-MIAA honor of her career. She was named to the All-MIAA Second Team last year. So far this year, she has a 3.21 ERA with an 11-13 record, two shutouts, and 142 strikeouts in a team-high 154.2 innings.

Beltz earned the second All-MIAA of her career at first base. She was also an honorable mention selection in 2013 as a freshman. Beltz leads the Tiger offense with a .323 batting average and 26 extra-base hits (16 doubles, 10 home runs). She has a team-best 42 RBI and has crossed the plate 30 times this year. She has also drawn a team-high 29 walks this year.

Vaupel earned her fourth All-MIAA selection in the outfield. This is the third time she has been given an honorable mention nod and she was a second-team selection in 2013 as a sophomore. So far this year, she has a .258 batting average with 16 extra-base hits (nine doubles, seven home runs), 30 RBI, and 19 runs scored.

Villarreal earned the second All-MIAA honor of her career. Last year, she was an honorable mention selection at utility/non-pitcher. Villarreal ranks second on the team in batting average at .314 with 10 doubles and one home run. She has also produced 19 RBI and 16 runs.

Dobson earned the third All-MIAA honor of her career. The previous two years, she was an honorable mention selection at second base. Making the switch to shortstop halfway through the year, Dobson had several starts at both positions this year. She has a .271 average with eight doubles and 12 RBI. She leads the team in defensive assists with 110.

Strand earned the first All-MIAA honor of her career. Strand started several games at both second base and shortstop this year. So far in 2015, she is hitting .271 with 18 extra-base hits (11 doubles, seven home runs), 23 RBI, and a team-best 35 runs.

Complete All-MIAA team…

Player of the Year: Stephanie Goodwin, Sr., Emporia State
Pitcher of the Year: Emmie Robertson, Fr., Pittsburg State
Defensive Player of the Year: Taylor Zordel, Sr., Emporia State
Freshman of the Year: Emmie Robertson, Fr., Pittsburg State
Coach of the Year: Susan Anderson, Central Missouri

1st Team
Pitcher: Emmie Robertson, Fr., Pittsburg State
Pitcher: Katie Shockley, Sr., Central Missouri
Catcher: Ashleigh Tramel, So., Central Oklahoma
First Base: Lauren Mabe, So., Central Missouri
Second Base: Tiffany Gillaspy, Sr., Missouri Western$
Shortstop: Taylor Zordel, Sr., Emporia State#
Third Base: Ashton Smith, Jr., Central Oklahoma
Outfield: Stephanie Goodwin, Sr., Emporia State**$
Outfield: Kaylee Brunson, Sr., Central Oklahoma$

Outfield: Cheslyn Mitchell, Sr., Pittsburg State
Designated Player: McKenzie Rynard, Sr., Pittsburg State$
Utility/Non-Pitcher: Danielle Sprinkle, Fr., Emporia State
Utility/Pitcher: Lauren Thimmesch, Sr., Washburn
**= Unanimous Selection
$= Repeat First Team Selection
#= Three-time repeat selection

2nd Team
Pitcher: Kendle Schieber, Jr., Northwest Missouri
Pitcher: Janie Smith, Jr., Missouri Western
Catcher: Nicole Nease, So., Pittsburg State
First Base: Stephanie Mark, Sr., Northwest Missouri
Second Base: Ally Dziadula, Jr., Central Oklahoma
Shortstop: Morgan Heard, Fr., Central Oklahoma
Third Base: Jessica Gragg, Sr., Emporia State
Outfield: Brooke Zukerman, Jr., Central Oklahoma
Outfield: Morgan Rathmann, So., Missouri Western
Outfield: Rebecca Wyatt, Jr., Nebraska-Kearney
Designated Player: Paige Shifflett, Fr., Missouri Western
Utility/Non-Pitcher: Kylie Guthier, So., Pittsburg State
Utility/Pitcher: Jakki Prater, Sr., Central Missouri

Honorable Mention
Pitcher: Kelsey Berlin, Sr., Central Oklahoma; Nicole Brady, Jr., Central Oklahoma; Kesley Kimminau, Sr., Fort Hays State; Paxton Duran, Jr., Fort Hays State; Kendall Ryndak, Sr., Lindenwood; Cassie Roessing, Jr., Nebraska-Kearney; Kacey Ayres, So., Southwest Baptist.
Catcher: Carlie Rose, Jr., Central Missouri; Jacie Stephens, So., Emporia State; Alexandra Newcomb, Sr., Lindenwood; Alli Eales, Sr., Northeastern State; Erin Dwyer, Jr., Nebraska-Kearney; Kristen Bell, Jr., Washburn
First Base: Emily Ditmore, Sr., Central Oklahoma; Tori Beltz, Jr., Fort Hays State; Alexis Theis, So., Lindenwood; Kate Ruwe, Jr., Nebraska-Kearney; Paige Gann, Fr., Northeastern State; Caitlyn Cooner, Jr., Southwest Baptist; Marina Quimby, Jr., Washburn.
Second Base: Jessica Wolken, Jr., Lincoln; Brooke Swadley, Sr., Missouri Southern; Megan Ewton, Jr., Northeastern State; Torri Blythe, So., Northwest Missouri; Taylor Zimmerman, Jr., Washburn.

Shortstop: Ali Jo Rogers, Jr., Central Missouri; Sam Kircher, Sr., Lincoln; Cassidy Merriman, Fr., Washburn.
Third Base: Lindsey Dawson, So., Central Missouri; Myranda Stewart, Fr., Missouri Southern; Katie Klosterman, So., Missouri Western; Chantel Adams, So., Northwest Missouri; Brittanie Halquist, Jr., Southwest Baptist.
Outfield: Caitlin VanVleck, Fr., Emporia State; Samantha Villarreal, So., Fort Hays State; Amanda Vaupel, Sr., Fort Hays State; Megan Heimbaugh, So., Lincoln; Allyson Corry, Sr., Lincoln; Madison Huot, So., Lindenwood; Alana Hester, Jr., Missouri Southern; Jessica Boone, Fr., Northeastern State; Ashton Pratt, Jr., Pittsburg State; Catlin Evans, So., Southwest Baptist; Megan Stegman, So., Washburn; Haylee Marsteller, Jr., Washburn; Jordan Erickson, So., Washburn.

Designated Player: Alex Leonhart, So., Central Missouri; Alyssa Aguilar, Sr., Northeastern State.
Utility/Non-Pitcher: Katie Giacone, Fr., Central Missouri; Courtney Dobson, Jr., Fort Hays State; Kylie Strand, Jr., Fort Hays State; Kathryn Goins-Osburn, Sr., Missouri Southern.
Utility/Pitcher: Kaitlyn Caston, Sr., Emporia State.

 

FHSU Sports Information
Fort Hays State senior Brittney Ricci earned the second All-MIAA Women’s Tennis honor of her career at Fort Hays State as she was named an honorable mention selection at the No. 2 singles position for the 2014-15 season.

Ricci finished the season at 11-8 overall in singles play and she went 10-6 while playing at the No. 2 singles position. In conference action, she had a record of 6-4.

Ricci was also an All-MIAA selection as a freshman in 2011-12, earning second team honors.

Ricci finished with 90 career wins (44 singles, 46 doubles) at Fort Hays State. She finished third on the all-time NCAA combined wins list at FHSU, just six shy of the record 96 held by Kris Marten. Her 44 singles wins are also third on the career list.

FHSU Sports Information
Fort Hays State junior Tori Beltz was named the MIAA/AstroTurf Softball Hitter of the Week on Tuesday (Apr. 28) for her efforts the week of April 21-27. Beltz helped the Tigers go 3-3 overall last week, which included a key conference doubleheader sweep of Nebraska-Kearney to help FHSU earn a spot in this week’s MIAA Tournament.

Beltz had a big week at the plate, hitting .412 with five extra-base hits (3 home runs, 2 doubles) and eight RBI. She went 7-for-17, but drew five walks and was hit by a pitch once. Adding a fielders choice into that mix, she reached base safely in 14 of her 23 plate appearances for the week and had an on-base percentage of .565 for the week.

Beltz had two, two-run home runs in the second game of a doubleheader at Northwestern Oklahoma State, the second plating the decisive runs in a 6-5 win. In the conference doubleheader sweep of Nebraska-Kearney, she had an RBI single in game one, part of a six-run rally for FHSU in the second inning of a 9-8 win, and then a solo homer and an RBI double in a 4-0 game two win. Beltz scored six runs for the week, half of them in the conference doubleheader sweep of UNK.