By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
The Fort Hays State baseball team fell in the series finale with Pittsburg State on Saturday (March 25), 11-6. The Tigers (13-19, 4-12 MIAA) and Gorillas (21-7, 13-3 MIAA) fought back and forth in the contest before a four-run ninth inning by the Gorillas put the game out of reach.
Fort Hays State jumped in front in the opening frame with two runs to give them their first lead of the series. Ed Scottdrew a leadoff walk before Trey DeGarmo reached on a bunt single up the first base line. Isaiah Ural moved the runners over on a sacrifice bunt to set up a two-RBI single from Emile Boies.
After escaping a bases loaded jam in the top of the first, Tiger starter Jake Campbell found himself in trouble again as the Gorillas started off the second with back-to-back singles. Pittsburg State manufactured a pair of runs in the inning to tie the game, including one unearned run, but Mikey Felton put the Tigers back in front with a solo shot over the left center wall in the home half of the second.
Campbell held PSU scoreless in the third before the Gorillas tied the game in the fourth with a single run. Miscues plagued the Tigers in the fifth as the Gorillas took a 5-3 lead due to two throwing errors. Spencer Maley took over with one out in the fifth and managed to prevent further damage.
But the Tigers put together a big inning in the bottom of the fifth in response, plating three runs to regain the lead. A leadoff single by Colter Maldonado followed by a four-pitch walk to Scott got the Tigers rolling before a double steal put the runners in scoring position. DeGarmo plated Maldonado on a sacrifice fly before a wild pitch brought home Scott. Ural capped of the inning with a solo homer to right field to put the Tigers ahead 6-5.
The Gorillas quickly regained the lead with a two-run homer to left center in the sixth. Both bullpens worked efficiently down the stretch, with neither team scoring in the seventh or eighth. The Tigers picked up two free bases to lead off the eighth, but were unable to come away with a run after two strikeouts and a pop up.
Pittsburg State added four key insurance runs in the ninth, all of which were unearned. Maley retired the first batter of the inning and walked the second before inducing a tailor-made double play ball, but the defense was unable to make the play. The Gorillas scored one run on a sacrifice fly before a three-run home run cleared the bases and made the score 11-6. Cade Flaherty took the mound to record the final out and did so without allowing any more damage, but the Gorillas struck out the side in the bottom of the frame to secure the sweep.
Campbell went 4.1 frames in his second consecutive start, allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits and three walks while striking out three batters. Maley (0-1) gave up six runs (two earned) on six hits and also recorded three punchouts. Flaherty gave up one hit and recorded a strikeout to end the game.
Boies finished 1-for-3 at the plate with two RBI while Scott crossed the plate twice in the finale. After collecting five hits and six runs off the PSU starter over 4.1 innings, the Tigers were hitless and scoreless in 4.2 innings against the Gorilla bullpen.
The Tigers will go on the road on Tuesday (March 28) to play the second game of the midweek series with Newman in Wichita. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.
Friday
The Fort Hays State baseball team dropped their series opener to Pittsburg State, 14-1, on Friday (March 24) at Larks Park before falling in the second game of the series, 9-5. The Gorillas move to 19-7, 11-3 MIAA while the Tigers fall to 13-17, 4-10 MIAA.
Game One – Pittsburg State 14, Fort Hays State 1
The Gorillas got the bats going early in the weekend opener and Zac Shoemaker took command on the mound, tossing five scoreless innings. The Gorillas scored twice in the opening frame including a leadoff home run by Jake Grauberger on the second pitch of the game.
Daniel Bebee got the nod for the Tigers on the mound and allowed six runs on seven hits over three innings before leaving early due to an injury. Pittsburg State scored two more runs in the second on another home run before adding another run in the third to take a 5-0 lead.
The Tigers began to build momentum in the bottom of the third with a walk to Ed Scott and a single from Trey DeGarmo, but the Tigers were unable to bring them around.
The Gorillas added four runs in the fourth with help from another two-run shot before pushing the lead to 10 in the sixth.
The Tigers scored their lone run of the game in the bottom of the sixth on a pair of back-to-back doubles from Isaiah Ural and Elliott Herrmann to end the shutout. Jacob Shopeentered to pitch the seventh for the Tigers and held the Gorillas in check, but PSU pulled away in the eighth with four more runs.
Shope threw one scoreless frame while walking three batters. Dustin Menard and Trip Davis combined to throw the final inning allowing two runs each.
Emile Boies, Ridge Stephens, DeGarmo, Ural and Herrmann each tallied a hit for the Tigers.
Game Two – Pittsburg State 9, Fort Hays State 5
Zach Berg retired the first two batters he faced in game two before three consecutive singles from the Gorillas plated a run in the top of the first. The Tigers answered in the home half when Scott led off with a solo home run to left center.
The Gorillas reclaimed the lead in following frame with a solo shot of their own before scoring two runs on an RBI single in the third.
The Tigers manufactured a run in the bottom of the third when Colter Maldonado drew a leadoff walk. Scott followed with a bunt single, with Maldonado later scoring on a wild pitch. Pittsburg State scored one run in the fourth inning, but the Tigers answered with a pair of runs to trim the deficit to 5-4. Back-to-back doubles from Boies and Zane Knox plated the first run before a failed double play attempt allowed Maldonado to reach base safely and Knox to score.
Pittsburg State scored a run in the fifth and another in the sixth to stretch their lead to three, but FHSU answered in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI single from Boies. The Gorillas scored their final two runs in the eighth and held off the Tigers to clinch the series victory.
Berg went 5.0 innings on the mound, giving up six runs on 11 hits and one walk while collecting five strikeouts. Andrew Hansen provided 2.2 frames of relief, allowing two runs on two hits striking out one batter before Jenner Kehetook over to close out the eighth allowing one run on one hit. Cade Flaherty closed out the contest for the Tigers, retiring the Gorillas in order in the ninth and picked up a strikeout.
Scott finished a triple shy of the cycle, going 3-for-5 at the plate with one run and one RBI while Boies (2-for-5) recorded another multi-hit game.