By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
WICHITA, Kan. – The Fort Hays State baseball team dropped Tuesday’s contest at Newman by a final score of 24-7 (April 12). The Tigers and Jets fought through gale-force winds that were blowing straight out to left field for the duration of the afternoon.
The Jets struck first with five runs in the first before Fort Hays State closed within one with four runs in the top of the third. Walks to Mikey Felton and Tico Olivas bookended a Conner Kessler single, loading the bases for Jenner Kehe. The Golden, Colo. native drove in a run with a ground ball to second before another run came in to score on a throwing error. Grant Schmidt followed with a no-doubt home run to left, helping the Tigers trim the deficit to 5-4 with his 10th long ball of the season.
Newman bounced back with nine runs in the home half of the third before scoring three in the fourth, three in the fifth and four in the sixth.
The Tigers again quickly loaded the bases in the fourth with two walks and a single. A pitch then hit Olivas in the following at-bat, plating Kade Wallace. Kehe drove in another run later in the inning with a sacrifice fly.
Conner Kessler got the Tigers one run closer in the fifth with an RBI single to left, driving in Mason Holton.
Schmidt, Wallace and Kessler each had two of FHSU’s seven base hits. Jake Campbell (0-7) took the loss after tossing 2.1 innings as the starter. Cole Zimmerman, Cade Flaherty and Tanner Lukowski also took to the mound for the Tigers.
Fort Hays State will return to Larks Park to host Missouri Western in a three-game series beginning Thursday (April 14). First pitch is set for 6 p.m. Thursday, 2 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday.