By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
YUKON, Okla. – Fort Hays State dropped its final two games of the Raising Cane’s Softball Festival on Saturday (Feb. 18). The Tigers fell 5-1 to East Central, then 9-1 in six innings to Arkansas Tech. FHSU is now 3-5 on the season.
East Central 5, Fort Hays State 1
The FHSU bats struggled in their first contest of the day, recording only two hits against East Central. Only one run of six in the game was earned as errors proved costly for FHSU. After hitting a home run in the first inning, East Central picked up four more unearned runs over the second and third innings to create enough of a pad for its first win of the season. FHSU picked up its only run in the second inning.
FHSU scored its lone run on a Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson RBI double in the second inning with two outs, right after Regan Curry reached base on a fielding error. Reese Curryhad the only other hit for the Tigers.
Morgan Schmidt threw the first 1.2 innings for FHSU, allowing four runs (one earned) on three hits and three walks with two strikeouts. Bailey Carlson threw the final 5.1 innings and allowed a run (not earned) on four hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
Taia Harris of East Central fell one out shy of qualifying for the win. She went 3.2 innings with one run allowed on one hit and three walks. She struck out three. Taryn O’Brien picked up the win in 3.1 innings of relief, allowing a hit and a walk with two strikeouts.
Arkansas Tech 9, Fort Hays State 1
Fort Hays State struggled to find runs once more in their final contest of the weekend, falling by run-rule 9-1 to Arkansas Tech. The Golden Suns moved up 1-0 in the bottom of the first with a solo home run before FHSU scored its only run of the game in the top of the second. ATU scored eight unanswered runs the rest of the way to move to 8-5 on the season.
Madison Pierce led off the second inning with a double and came in to score on a Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson RBI single. Ramirez-Johnson had two of five hits for the Tigers in the game. Adysen Burghart and Peyton Shepard had one hit each.
Savanah Egger pitched the first 4.0 innings for FHSU, allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits and a walk. She struck out three batters. Bailey Carlson threw the final 1.1 innings and allowed three runs on six hits.
Fort Hays State returns to action next weekend at the Washburn Tournament in Topeka, Kan. (Feb. 24-26).
Friday
BETHANY and YUKON, Okla. – Fort Hays State Softball fell twice on Friday (Feb. 17) in the Raising Cane’s Softball Festival. Home runs (one in walk-off fashion) pushed the opposition to wins in both contests as the Tigers moved to 3-3 overall on the season. The Tigers fell to Southern Nazarene 7-6 after holding leads twice in the game, then fell to No. 16 ranked Southern Arkansas 8-2.
Southern Nazarene 7, Fort Hays State 6
Playing on Southern Nazarene’s home field in Bethany, the Tigers scored first to take a 1-0 lead after the top of the fourth. Lexi Mohr put down a sacrifice bunt to drive in the run after the Tigers benefitted from an error in the inning. However, starting pitcher Savanah Egger ran into some trouble in the fifth as SNU had a bases-clearing double and went on to score five in the inning and go up 5-1.
The Tigers fought right back in the sixth with four runs to tie the game. Madison Pierce got the rally started with a double, then Aubrey Martinez followed with a single and Regan Curry walked. With the bases loaded, Carly Stukeknocked in the first run with a sacrifice fly RBI, then Mohr picked up her second RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly that was misplayed. With two outs, Sarah Tiffany proved clutch with a two-RBI hit to tie the game.
Tiger reliever Emma Montoya was able to hold the Crimson Storm scoreless in the sixth, which gave the Tigers the chance to go back in front in the seventh. They made good on that opportunity when Reese Curry walked with the bases loaded to put the Tigers up 6-5, set up by three singles from Loren Beggs, Martinez, and Regan Curry. But the hopes of a comeback win were dashed in the bottom of the seventh when Hailey Evans hit a two-run homer to win the game 7-6 for SNU.
Egger struck out six in her 4.1 innings of work, while Montoya took the loss in 1.2 innings of relief. Though she gave up the go-ahead run in the seventh, Olivia Hernandez got the win for SNU in an inning of relief.
Southern Arkansas 8, Fort Hays State 2
Southern Arkansas, ranked No. 16 in the latest NFCA Division II national poll, remained undefeated on the season at 11-0 with an 8-2 win over FHSU in Yukon, Okla. Four home runs powered the Muleriders, which also proved to be the difference in the game.
Southern Arkansas got off to a fast start in the first inning with four runs. After a Tiger throwing error, SAU had back-to-back RBI doubles and then a two-run homer to make it 4-0. After the Tigers picked up a run in the second, SAU hit a two-run homer in the fourth and a pair of solo homers in the seventh. The Tigers scored once more in the bottom of the seventh before the final out of the game.
Reese Curry had both RBIs in the game for FHSU on singles. Carly Stuke scored both times as she had a hit and a walk in the game to set up her run-scoring opportunities.
Bailey Carlson threw the first 0.2 innings before handing the ball to Morgan Schmidt, who went the final 6.1 innings. Only one of Carlson’s four runs yielded were earned. Schmidt mowed down 11 batters by strikeout in relief.
Sydney Ward threw a complete game for SAU, striking out seven Tigers and scattering five hits.