Fort Hays State University scored just two runs over 16 innings of play on Tuesday, but walked off with two 1-0 extra inning wins to complete the sweep over No. 13 Arkansas Tech. The games, played at the Mustang Softball Academy Indoor Facility, were regional victories for the Tigers and brought them to 5-6 on the year.
FHSU begins conference play this weekend with games at Central Missouri and Southwest Baptist, taking on the Jennies on Friday and the Bearcats on Saturday.
Complete recaps of Tuesday’s games
FHSU 1, ATU 0 (Nine innings)
Fort Hays State was held hitless until the ninth, when a walk-off single up the middle from Kylie Strand scored Paxton Duran and gave the Tigers a 1-0 win in extra innings.
Duran threw all nine innings, striking out 11 with just one walk for the game while improving to 2-3 on the year.
At the plate, Strand had the Tigers only hit, but Amanda Vaupel drew three walks and Duran had two free passes.
FHSU threatened throughout the game thanks to nine walks on the day, though they left 11 runners on base – including the second and fourth innings, when the Tigers had two on but couldn’t convert.
Arkansas Tech’s best scoring opportunity came in the fifth, when Chelsea Reeves singled to right field to start the inning. From there, however, two pop ups and a fly out to center followed as FHSU got out of the inning.
In the sixth, Fort Hays State loaded the bases with just one out after two walks and a fielder’s choice error, but couldn’t push a runner home as the game remained scoreless – where it stayed until the ninth.
With one out in the ninth, Duran walked before stealing second base during Madison Putman‘s at-bat. Putman and Courtney Dobson followed with walks of their own, sending Strand to the plate with bases loaded. After working a full count, Strand broke up the Golden Suns’ no-hitter with a single up the middle to score Duran and walk off with the win.
FHSU 1, ATU 0 (Eight innings)
Again scoreless through seven, FHSU used an eighth inning rally to walk-off with a 1-0 win on Rilee Krier‘s single into center field.
Kelsey Kimminau (2-3) took the win, throwing all eight innings while scattering four hits, striking out five with no walks allowed.
At the plate, Krier was 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead the team while Amanda Vaupel (single) and Madison Putman (double) added the Tigers’ other two hits.
FHSU put runner on in the first, sixth and seventh innings, but otherwise saw the game move quickly with three up, three down throughout. Twice ATU had a runner on third, but clutch pitching by Kimminau and strong defense got the Tigers out of both jams.
In the bottom of the eighth, Mackenzie Villarreal pinch hit to lead off the inning, earning a walk before being replaced by Veronica Knittig on first. Madison Putman followed by taking the first pitch she saw to the left center wall for a stand up double, moving Knittig to third. After two outs put the Tigers on the verge of headed to the ninth, Rilee Krier took a 1-1 pitch over the head of the shortstop into center field, providing the walk-off hit to score Knittig.