By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
EDMOND/OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Fort Hays State bounced back from a pair of losses on Friday to sweep its pair of games Saturday in Oklahoma at the Edmond Regional Softball Festival. The Tigers defeated Midwestern State (Texas) 7-3 before edging St. Mary’s (Texas) in the nightcap, 3-2. FHSU moved to 10-6 overall on the season.
Fort Hays State 7, Midwestern State 3
The Tigers used two big innings to put away the Mustangs, building a 7-0 lead through five innings. Midwestern State scored all three of its runs on a homer in the seventh before Hailey Chapman closed out her second complete game of the season.
The Tigers plated four runs in the second to take a commanding lead early. Grace Philop and Elise Capra started the rally with a pair of walks before Lily Sale sacrificed them up a base. Katie Adler delivered the first big blow with a 2-RBI triple to right field before she scored on a wild pitch. Back-to-back doubles by Terran Caldwell and Kristen Reed generated the fourth run of the inning as Reed picked up the RBI.
In the fifth, Elise Capra put the game even further out of reach with a 3-run homer to left center field. Sara Breckbill and Grace Philop got on base in front of her to start the inning.
Chapman kept MSU from moving any runners further than second base for the first six innings before running into a bit of trouble to start the seventh. A pair of singles set up the 3-run homer by MSU cleanup hitter Bailey Brenek. Chapman shook off the quick blow by retiring the next three batters to end the game. Chapman allowed eight hits and four walks, while striking out three in her complete-game effort. She moved to 5-4 on the season.
Midwestern State starting pitcher Kathryn Wells lasted just 2.0 innings, giving up the first four runs. Reliever Jacey Henry pitched four innings and gave up Capra’s homer. The pair allowed nine hits and six walks, while Henry recorded two strikeouts.
Fort Hays State 3, St. Mary’s 2
Fort Hays State pulled out a 3-2 win in the nightcap over St. Mary’s, thanks to a timely RBI double by Kristen Reed in the top of the seventh that pushed the Tigers back in front. Michaelanne Nelson nearly threw a complete game, coming up just an out short, while Hailey Chapman struck out the final batter of the game for her second save of the season.
St. Mary’s took an early lead, picking up a run on a sacrifice fly in the first inning. However, the Tigers battled back in the third with a pair of clutch 2-out RBI singles from Reed and Alexis Velazquez.
The Tigers held the 2-1 lead until the bottom of the sixth when the Rattlers tied the game on a 2-out RBI single by Tiffany Licon. Reed dashed the hopes of a late comeback by the Rattlers with her RBI double in the seventh that plated Terran Caldwell from first base.
Nelson retired the first two batters in the seventh before giving up a five-pitch walk. Chapman allowed a single to the first batter she faced before getting the final out of the game on a strikeout looking. Nelson moved to 4-2 on the season, allowing six hits and four walks with four strikeouts.
Fort Hays State’s contest on Sunday (Feb. 23) with Oklahoma Christian will now be at 1 pm due to the chance of rain. It will be the final game of the weekend for the Tigers.