By FHSU Sports Information
Photo courtesy FHSU SID
KEARNEY, Neb. – Despite putting up 17 runs on a season-high 19 hits, the Fort Hays State baseball team came up on the losing end of an offensive extravaganza Wednesday (April 11), falling to Nebraska-Kearney in the Tigers’ final trip to Memorial Field, 26-17. The Tigers tallied four home runs in the loss while the Lopers totaled eight long balls, one off the conference record.
Fort Hays State is now 13-23 on the year and 5-17 in MIAA play, while UNK improves to 20-15 overall and 13-8 in conference action.
The lead changed hands five times in the back-and-forth affair before the Lopers took control once and for all with a seven-run fifth inning. At least one runner reached base in all but one half-inning. Both teams had plenty of other scoring opportunities, both stranding nine runners on base.
After being shut out by UNK two weeks ago in Hays, the Tigers came out with a vengeance, pushing across three runs on three hits in the first inning thanks to Cody Starkel‘s opposite-field home run. The Lopers responded with a five-spot in the first to take a two run lead after one frame.
The Tigers closed within one when Marcus Altman, who reached on a double into the right field corner, came in to score on an RBI groundout from Jason Nicholson. Following a pair of two-out base hits, Alex Weiss sent an outside pitch soaring over the fence in right center, plating a trio of runs to give the Tigers the lead once again, 7-5.
The Lopers had two runners reach base in the bottom of the second, but a double play ended what would prove to be the only scoreless inning for UNK all afternoon.
Fort Hays State doubled its lead when it manufactured a pair of runs in the third. Starkel pulled the first pitch into the left field corner for a double before Ryan Grasser worked a walk. Starkel later came in to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Altman before Nicholson picked up his second RBI of the day with a sharp single to center, stretching the FHSU advantage to 9-5.
Nebraska-Kearney went back in front with six runs across the next two innings, but the Tigers still had a few tricks up their sleeves. The bottom three of the order all reached base to open the top of the fifth, bringing leadoff man Addison Kaasch to the plate with the bases loaded. The infielder swung at the first pitch he saw, pulling a line drive just over the wall inside the left field foul pole for FHSU’s first grand slam of the season. Kaasch’s third home run of the season put the Tigers in front yet again, 13-11.
The home team went in front for good after swatting three home runs in the fifth inning, grabbing an 18-13 lead in the process. After the Lopers tacked on three more runs in the sixth, Fort Hays State rallied for four seventh-inning runs to close within 21-17. Kaasch led off with a double before coming around to score on Weiss’ second home run of the game, this time a two-run blast to straightaway center.
Starkel kept the inning alive with a two-out single down the line before a pitch hit Grasser and an error allowed Jordan Wilkerson to reach and load the bases. Altman and Nicholson followed with back-to-back singles, both driving in a run to keep the Tigers within striking distance.
Kaasch and Weiss both finished a triple shy of the cycle, picking up four hits apiece on the day. Four other Tigers collected multiple base knocks, including three each for Starkel and Altman. Weiss drove in a career-high five RBI after recording his first multi-homer game as a Tiger. Cole Schumacher struck out three batters in two innings of relief, while Austin Weiser (1-1) took the loss.
The Tigers will return to Larks Park on Thursday (April 12) when they take on Northeastern State in a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.