By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
LUBBOCK, Texas – Fort Hays State fell twice in its final games at the Lubbock Sports College Invitational on Saturday (Feb. 6). The Tigers lost to 19th-ranked Lubbock Christian 6-0 and then came up on the short end of an extra-inning affair with Midwestern State, 4-3. The Tigers are 1-3 through their first four games of the season.
#19 Lubbock Christian 6, Fort Hays State 0
Fort Hays State fell behind early and never gained any traction offensively in a shutout loss to Lubbock Christian. Brooke Makemson put the Lady Chaparrals on top with a 3-run home run in the first and later tripled home a run, posting a four-RBI game for LCU. LCU scored one in the second and two in the fifth to extend its lead, all on RBI hits.
Jessica Espinoza was the only Tiger to keep Taylor Franco from holding the Tigers hitless in her six innings of work. Espinoza singled in the third for the only Tiger hit in the contest. Franco kept the Tigers grounded, getting 14 of her 18 outs by ground balls and did not record a strikeout. Dakota Stotyn pitched the final inning for LCU, recording the only strikeout of the game against the Tigers.
Megan Jamison took the loss as she allowed the 3-run home run in the first. Espinoza allowed a run in three innings of work with a strikeout and Hailey Chapman allowed two runs in another three innings of work with four strikeouts.
Midwestern State 4, Fort Hays State 3 (8 inn.)
Fort Hays State was just inches from winning in walk-off fashion in the seventh inning of their second contest. The Tigers loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but a flyout to left field turned into a double play when left fielder Payton Griffin of Midwestern State threw out Sara Breckbill at the plate trying to score the winning run. Catcher Bailey Brenek applied the tag on Breckbill’s foot just before it reached the plate.
Following their game saving play, the Mustangs went on to score two runs in the top of the eighth and the Tigers plated just one with the international tiebreaker format used immediately. Brooke Taylor doubled home a run for MSU before a Tiger fielding error allowed a second run to score later in the eighth. Sarah Tiffany singled home Terran Caldwell in the bottom of the eighth and reached third with two outs before a groundout ended the game.
FHSU and MSU went scoreless for the first three innings of the game before MSU scratched the first run across in the fourth. FHSU answered in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI bunt single by Lexi Kagan. MSU plated its second run on a wild pitch in the fifth inning, but the Tigers evened the score once again in the sixth on a Tiffany triple.
Both teams had golden opportunities in the seventh. MSU had the bases loaded with no outs and Michaelanne Nelson worked out of danger getting two fielder’s choice grounders that produced outs at the plate and a strikeout to end the threat. FHSU threatened with one out in the seventh, loading the bases with a single, hit batter, and a walk. Terran Caldwell drove the ball nicely to left field on the flyout that turned into a double play with Breckbill cut down at the plate.
Kaitlyn Turner pitched the first 6.2 innings for MSU before handing the ball to Addi Hanna, who picked up the win in relief. Turner allowed nine hits to the Tigers, while Hanna allowed one. Turner struck out two and Hanna had one.
Hailey Chapman pitched the first five innings for FHSU, allowing just one earned run on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Nelson pitched the final three innings and took the tough-luck loss, allowing no earned runs on three hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
The Tigers are scheduled to return to action next Saturday in a doubleheader at Regis University in Denver, Colorado.