FHSU Sports Information

Fort Hays State had one individual championship while finishing fourth as a team at the MIAA Wrestling Championships on Sunday in Hays, Kan.  Fourth-ranked C.J. Napier took first-place honors at 141 pounds, the Tigers’ first-ever MIAA individual champion. Josh Rodriguez, Jon Inman, Tanner Kriss and Trey Page were second, while Adam Ludwin rounded out the Tigers place-winners in third place.

In team scoring, FHSU finished with 63 points, 4.5 points behind third-place Central Oklahoma, who had 67.5 points.  Nebraska-Kearney (109 points) won the team title, while Lindenwood (84.5 points) took second.

All six place-winners were named All-MIAA, while Jon Inman was named MIAA Freshman of the Year for his efforts at 184 pounds.

Adam Ludwin placed third at 125 pounds after going 3-1 overall.  Ludwin’s day started with a 3-1 decision over Josh Breece (UCO) before falling to eventual champion Marco Tamayo (LWU) by major decision, 11-1, in the semifinals.  On the consolation side of the bracket, Ludwin defeated Jabez Zinabu (Truman), 6-1, before defeating Breece for the second time of the day, 9-6, in the consolation finals.

Napier’s title chase started with a 14-3 major decision over Mark Smith of Truman, followed up by a 7-5 decision against Dustin Reed (UCO) in the semifinals.  In the championship bout, Napier used a reversal with less than 15 seconds to go in the third period to take a 5-4 lead against Brock Coutu of Nebraska-Kearney.  Napier eventually took the title with a score of 6-4.

Josh Rodriguez finished 2-1 on the day to finish second at 174 pounds.  Rodriguez earned a bye into the semifinals, and then won by major decision over Josh Thomsen of Central Missouri, 8-0.  In the title match, Rodriguez was tied 1-1 inside the final minute, but was called for a stalling point against UNK’s Patrick Martinez to fall by decision, 2-1.

Inman’s 184 pound championship efforts fell just short, as he went 2-1 on the day to finish second.  Inman started the day with a first-round bye.  In the semifinals, Inman won by decision over UCO’s Znick Ferrell, 4-2 to set up a title contest with No. 3 John McArdle (LWU).  Inman led, 14-9 inside the final 45 seconds, but a late third-period toss from McArdle set up a pin in 6:35.

No. 7 Tanner Kriss reached the championship in 197 pounds, but injury defaulted in the final to UNK’s Romero Cotton (No. 1).  Kriss won his first round match by fall in 1:43 over Steven Cooksley of Newman.  In the semifinals, Kriss led late into the match, but with 10 seconds remaining, Kenny Breaux (LWU) injury defaulted out of the contest.

Trey Page started his 285 pound tournament with a 10-0 major decision over Todd Brier (UCM), followed by a 5-2 decision against Kelsey Empting (UNK) in the semifinals.  Page squared off with No. 7 Steven Butler (LWU) for the second time in a week in the finals, falling by decision, 5-2.

Fort Hays State will now compete in the NCAA Central Super Regional on Feb. 28 through March 1 in Edmond, Okla.

Complete results are below…

Team Scores
1. Nebraska-Kearney 109.0
2. Lindenwood 84.5
3. Central Oklahoma 67.5
4. Fort Hays State 63.0
5. Central Missouri 43.5
6. Newman 4.0
7. Truman 0.5

125 – Adam Ludwin finished third, 3-1
Quarterfinal – Adam Ludwin (Fort Hays State) won by decision over Josh Breece (Central Oklahoma), Dec 3-1
Semifinal – Marco Tamayo (Lindenwood) won by major decision over Adam Ludwin  (Fort Hays State), MD 11-1
Cons. Semi – Adam Ludwin  (Fort Hays State) won by decision over Jabez Zinabu (Truman), Dec 6-1
3rd Place Match – Adam Ludwin  (Fort Hays State) won by decision over Josh Breece (Central Oklahoma), Dec 9-6

133 – Symon Seaton, 1-2
Quarterfinal – Hunter Neighbors (Central Missouri) won by fall over Symon Seaton (Fort Hays State), Fall 4:59
Cons. Round 1 – Symon Seaton (Fort Hays State) won by fall over Rafael Lopez (Truman), Fall 4:08
Cons. Semi – Matt Katusin (Lindenwood) won by fall over Symon Seaton (Fort Hays State), Fall 1:58

141 – C.J. Napier finished first, 3-0
Quarterfinal – C.J. Napier (Fort Hays State) won by major decision over Mark Smith (Truman), MD 14-3
Semifinal – C.J. Napier (Fort Hays State) won by decision over Dustin Reed (Central Oklahoma), Dec 7-5
1st Place Match – C.J. Napier (Fort Hays State) won by decision over Brock Coutu (Nebraska-Kearney), Dec 6-4

157 – Mitchell Means, 1-2
Quarterfinal – Mitchell Means (Fort Hays State) received a bye
Semifinal – Chase White (Nebraska-Kearney) won in tie breaker-2 over  Mitchell Means (Fort Hays State), TB-2 5-3
Cons. Semi – Derrick Weller (Lindenwood) 19-13 won by injury default over  Mitchell Means (Fort Hays State), Inj. 0:00

165 – Bradley Little, 1-2
Quarterfinal – Luke Roth (Lindenwood) won by fall over Bradley Little (Fort Hays State), Fall 6:00
Cons. Round 1 – Bradley Little (Fort Hays State) received a bye
Cons. Semi – Tyler Loethen (Central Missouri) won by decision over Bradley Little (Fort Hays State), Dec 8-4

174 – Josh Rodriguez finished second, 1-1
Quarterfinal – Josh Rodriguez (Fort Hays State) received a bye
Semifinal – Josh Rodriguez (Fort Hays State) won by major decision over Josh Thomson (Central Missouri), MD 8-0
1st Place Match – Patrick Martinez (Nebraska-Kearney) won by decision over Josh Rodriguez (Fort Hays State), Dec 2-1

184 – Jon Inman finished second, 2-1
Quarterfinal – Jon Inman (Fort Hays State) received a bye
Semifinal – Jon Inman (Fort Hays State) won by decision over Znick Ferrell (Central Oklahoma), Dec 4-2
1st Place Match – John McArdle (Lindenwood) won by fall over Jon Inman (Fort Hays State), Fall 6:35

197 – Tanner Kriss finished second, 2-1
Quarterfinal – Tanner Kriss (Fort Hays State) won by fall over Steven Cooksley (Newman), Fall 1:43
Semifinal – Tanner Kriss (Fort Hays State) won by injury default over Kenny Breaux (Lindenwood), Inj. 6:50
1st Place Match – Romero Cotton (Nebraska-Kearney) won by injury default over Tanner Kriss (Fort Hays State), Inj. 0:00

285 – Trey Page finished second, 2-1
Quarterfinal – Trey Page (Fort Hays State) won by major decision over Todd Brier (Central Missouri), MD 10-0
Semifinal – Trey Page (Fort Hays State) won by decision over Kelsey Empting (Nebraska-Kearney), Dec 5-2
1st Place Match – Steven Butler (Lindenwood) won by decision over Trey Page (Fort Hays State), Dec 5-2

FHSU Sports Information

After dropping a couple of one-run contests on Saturday to open its season, the FHSU baseball team took the final game of the three-game series at Texas A&M-International in Laredo, Texas on Sunday. The Tigers won 10-8, moving to 1-2 overall on the season.

Fort Hays State took a commanding 6-0 lead early through two and a half innings. FHSU scored four runs in the second, triggered on a solo home run by Cooper Langley. Horace Johnson followed with a double and later scored on an RBI by Gabe Cook, who reached by fielding error. Gus Strunk added an RBI single and Jordan Miller followed with a RBI double. In the third, the Tigers plated two more on a timely two-out two-RBI single by Strunk.

Texas A&M-International quickly pulled back into the game with four runs in the bottom of the third, two earned and two unearned. An error that should have produced the second out of the inning was followed by three consecutive singles, allowing the Dustdevils to trim the lead to two.

FHSU picked up one run in the fifth on a sacrifice bunt RBI by Jordan Miller, but TAMIU matched the run in the bottom half of the inning using a pair of doubles to generate a run, making it 7-5.

Nathan Zimmerman stopped the TAMIU rally in the fifth by getting the final two outs in relief of starter Tyler Patty, who went 4.1 innings with four strikeouts and 12 hits allowed. But he ran into trouble in the sixth after getting the first out. He surrendered a single and then a home run that tied the game at 7-7, then was responsible for the run that scored later on a single to give TAMIU its first lead of the game at 8-7.

Nick Hammeke got the final two outs of the sixth for the Tigers and proceeded to pitch scoreless a scoreless seventh to keep the TAMIU lead at one.

The Tigers rallied for three runs in the eighth to take the lead back 10-8. Jordan Miller singled to open the inning, then advanced on a sacrifice and stole third. Clayton Garland knocked him in with a sacrifice fly RBI. Horace Johnson pushed the Tigers back in front with a two-out RBI double and then Gabe Cook added his second RBI of the game later with a single.

Hammeke faced one batter in the eighth before Nathan Briar came in to close the door on the Dustdevils over the final two innings, earning a save and preserving a win for Hammeke. Briar allowed just one hit and struck out one. The strikeout ended the game.

Johnson, Cook, and Strunk all had three-hit games, all going 3-for-5 at the plate and combining for six RBI.

Fort Hays State opens conference play next weekend (Feb. 21-23) against Pittsburg State in a four-game series at Larks Park in Hays.

FHSU Sports Information

Fort Hays State Softball closed out the 8-State Classic at 5-1 after sweeping Sunday’s (Feb. 16) action.  The Tigers started the day by knocking off Minnesota State in five innings, 11-3, before snagging a 5-3 comeback win over Arkansas-Monticello in the afternoon session

FHSU travels to Kansas City, Mo., on Friday (Feb. 21) for a doubleheader with Rockhurst before traveling to St. Paul, Minn., for a five-game tournament hosted by Minnesota-Duluth, Feb. 23-24.

A complete recap of today’s action is below…

FHSU 11, Minnesota Stat 3 (5 innings)
Fort Hays State had 16 hits as it rolled over Minnesota State, 11-3 in five innings in Sunday’s morning contest.

Danie Brinkman had two hits, a walk and a sacrifice fly in four plate appearances, driving in a season-high four RBI.  Rilee Keier was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, while Kylie Strand went 4-for-4 with a home run.  Krier and Tori Beltz each had two RBI.

In the circle, Kelsey Kimminau (1-1) threw all five innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits while striking out five.

Adame led off the game with a bunt single and moved to second on Krier’s sacrifice bunt.  With one out, Brinkmann drove a double to right field to plate Adame and give FHSU a 1-0 lead.

The Tigers extended their lead in the second, starting with Strand’s first collegiate home run from the seventh spot in the lineup.  With one out in the inning, Kellsi Olsen doubled to right center and moved to third on Adame’s single to second base.  Adame stole second during Krier’s at-bat, and Krier singled to load the bases.  Brinkmann’s second hit of the day, a single, followed, driving home Olsen and Adame to put FHSU ahead, 4-0.

Kimminau put up her second straight scoreless inning in the bottom half of the inning, setting up the Tigers for a five-run third inning.

Amanda Vaupel led off the inning with a walk, followed by a single from Strand and a sacrifice bunt from Amy Dunn.  With runners on second and third and one out, Olsen was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Adame and Krier followed suit with back-to-back infield singles, each picking up an RBI.  Brinkmann’s sacrifice fly to right scored Olsen – pushing Adame to third and Krier to second.  In the next at-bat, Tori Beltz picked up two RBI on a single to close out the scoring burst.

MSU got one back in the bottom of the third, scoring one run on two hits, but the Tigers again answered in the next half inning.

Vaupel and Strand again led off the fourth with a walk and a hit, respectively – this time reached third and second on Strand’s double.  After Madison Putman (who pinch hit for Amy Dunn) walked, Jordan Jones came in to pinch hit for Olsen.  Jones picked up her first RBI of the season on a single to right, scoring Vaupel, though Strand was called out at home trying to score.  Later in the inning, Krier’s single to left plated Putman for the Tigers’ final run of the day.

The Mavericks scored two in the final half inning, but it wasn’t enough as the Tigers won by the eight-run run-rule.

FHSU 5, Arkansas-Monticello 3
Bianca Adame was 3-for-4 to lead the Tigers, while Krier finished 2-for-4 with an RBI.

FHSU used a three-person approach from the circle for Game 2, as J0rdan Jones earned the start, throwing 3.0 innings while allowing two runs on one hit. Paxton Duran (3-0) entered in the fourth, throwing two complete innings and giving up just one run to earn the win. Katlyn Kern earned her first save of the season by closing out the final two innings in scoreless fashion, striking out two with three hits allowed.

After a scoreless first inning, FHSU got things going offensively in the second as Beltz led off with a single to center field.  After Koehler pinch ran for Beltz, Dobson moved her to second on a sacrifice bunt and Koehler reached third as Vaupel reached on an error.  Strand picked up the RBI in her at-bat, moving Koehler home on a fielder’s choice.

UAM took the lead in the fourth, scoring two runs on just one hit, taking advantage of a hit batter and a wild pitch.  In the fifth, UAM extended that lead to two, using a two-out triple to drive home a run and push the score to 3-1.

The Tigers, however, used five hits in the fifth to take back the lead for good.  Adame led off the inning with her first triple of the season and came home on Krier’s RBI single to center.  Brinkmann’s double in the next at-bat pushed Krier home.  Later in the inning, Dobson reached on a fielder’s choice and Vaupel singled to right, putting runners at first and second with two down.  Strand’s single loaded the bases, and after Callie Wright reached on an error, Dobson and Vaupel came home on the throw.

By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post

The Fort Hays State Tigers used a 21-4 second half run to build a 21-point lead and beat the Pittsburg State Gorillas 87-69 in front of 4,846 Saturday afternoon at Gross Coliseum. The Tigers, who have won two straight and 12 of their last 13, are now 20-4 overall and 11-4 in the MIAA. Pitt State drops their fifth straight and falls to 7-15 and 3-12 in the conference.

The Tigers closed the first half on a 7-0 run, all by Achoki Moikobu. to lead by six at halftime. The Gorillas scored the first five points of the second half to pull within one with 17:36 to play, but the Tigers took control the rest of the way.

Moikobu and James Flemming both tied career high’s. Flemming scored 20 and Moikobu added 16. Dwayne Brunson added 17

Mark Johnson Postgame Interview

James Flemming Postgame Interview

Game Highlights

By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post

Pittsburg State outscored Fort Hays State 6-1 over the final 1:39 and defeats the Lady Tigers 71-67 Saturday, snapping the FHSU’s 19-game home court win streak. The loss is the second straight for the Lady Tigers who fall to 16-6 overall and 9-6 in the MIAA. Pitt State has won eight straight and is now 19-6 and 12-3 in the conference.

Pitt used a 17-3 first half run to build a 10-point lead and were up seven at halftime. The Lady Tigers cut that lead to one on several occasions and finally took the lead on a pair of Keriann Shaw free throws with 1:39 to play. Lizzy Jeronimus would hit a big shot over Kate Lehman to put the Gorillas back in the lead then hit two free throws to seal the game.

Both teams struggled from the floor, shooting 37-percent. The Tigers were 1-of-14 from beyond the arc and the Gorillas 2-for-15.

Chelsea Mason led FHSU with 20 points while Kate Lehman added 15 points and 11 boards. Lehman was 11-of-14 from the free throw line.

Jeronimus led PSU with 17 points.

Tony Hobson Postgame Interview

Game Highlights