FHSU (1-3) was scheduled to face Arkansas Tech and Harding on Sunday to close the 8-State Classic, but the games were canceled due to extreme cold in the forecast. The Tigers return to action next Friday, taking on Concordia-St. Paul in the St. Cloud, Minn. FHSU will play five games over the weekend (Feb. 20-22) at the Kelly Laas Memorial Softball Invite.
Complete recaps of Saturday’s games.
Fort Hays State scored in every inning on its way to an 11-1 victory in five innings against Truman State. It was head coach Adrian Mohr‘s first win at the helm and the first double-digit win for FHSU since April 20, 2013.
Fort Hays State combined for 16 hits with three home runs, having all but one offensive starter record a hit. Amanda Vaupel (1-for-4, two RBI), Tori Beltz (4-for-4, two RBI) and Veronica Knittig (2-for-3, two RBI) each hit home runs for FHSU, while Kylie Strand (2-for-4) led the team with three RBI. Courtney Dobson was 3-for-4 on the day, scoring twice.
Kelsey Kimminau (1-1) threw all five innings, allowing just one run with two strikeouts and a walk to pick up her first win of the season.
FHSU struck early, as Dobson led off with a single to center before Vaupel’s first home run of the season came just moments later. Up 2-0 after the first, Knittig led off the second inning with her first career homerun, taking a pitch over the fence to push the lead to three.
The Tigers’ advantage hit five in the third, as Erin Elmore drew a leadoff walk and Tori Beltz hit FHSU’s third home run of the game.
TSU struck back in its half of the third, though, putting together three hits and taking advantage of an error to cut the lead to four (5-1). Nikki Moss led off the bottom of the third with a single and came all the way around to score on Jamie Fowle’s single. The Bulldogs’ looked to shrink the deficit further, but heads up play from Knittig at third put Devin Gudehus out at home.
A four-run fourth inning put the game into run-rule territory as FHSU racked up six hits and batted around to take a 9-1 lead. After Vaupel reached on a fielder’s choice, station-to-station play followed as Elmore (single), Beltz (single), Strand (single), Villarreal (walk), Lang (single) and Knittig (single) all reached safely in successive fashion, and four runs came in.
In the fifth, the Tigers extended the lead to 10 (11-1). Dobson and Beltz reached safely to put things in motion, and with two outs Strand brought them home on a double to right field.
On the verge of a run-rule victory, FHSU had to get creative in the bottom of the fifth to seal the win after pinch-hitter Hannah Wehar led off with a triple. From there, the Tigers put together an impressive double-play from pitcher to first to home, and after a two-out walk, FHSU ended the game on a diving catch from Vaupel in center field.
[/cbtab] [cbtab title=”Arkansas-Monticello 4, Fort Hays State 3 (Eight Innings)“]Fort Hays State led early and forced extra innings late, but couldn’t complete the Saturday sweep as it fell to Arkansas-Monticello in eight innings, 4-3.
FHSU used a heavy dose of Ronnie Knittig in the second game of the day, as the freshman went 2-for-3 at the plate with a home run and three RBI. Amanda Vaupel, Tori Beltz and Samantha Villarreal both went 2-for-4 at the plate.
Sarah Cochran started the game for FHSU, throwing four complete innings. Cochran allowed two runs (both earned) with one walk and three strikeouts before exiting with a no-decision. Paxton Duran (0-2) struck out four and walked two, but was dealt the loss while allowing two runs.
Knittig gave FHSU a 2-0 lead early, going yard for the second time on the day. Villarreal led off the inning with a single, and later came home as Knittig slugged a one-out pitch over the fence.
That lead lasted until the fourth, when UAM got to Cochran and tied it, 2-all off of four hits and an FHSU error in the inning. The Blossoms took the lead in the fifth (3-2) after a solo home run from Holly Wilmarth – the first batter Duran faced in the game.
The Tigers tied things back up in the fifth – again with the help of Knittig. Strand took first on a fielder’s choice, moving to third as Villarreal reached on an error by the shortstop. Later on with one out, Knittig singled to left field to drive Strand home for FHSU’s third run of the game (which eventually forced extras).
In the eighth, UAM’s Kali Piha drew a one-out walk before racing around the base paths for the eventual game-winner on Lacy Blanchard’s double, giving the Blossoms a 4-3 lead.
Down to its last chance, FHSU had Samantha Villarreal reach second with one out in the bottom of the eighth, but couldn’t bring her home as the rally fell short.
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