Fort Hays State University swept a doubleheader with Missouri Western on Friday with a pair of walk-off wins, taking game one 10-9 and then game two 17-16. An Andre Vieyra sacrifice fly lifted the Tigers to the first win, then a Nick Hammeke single delivered the second win. The Tigers (9-21, 7-15 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) and Griffons (18-14, 12-10 MIAA) combined for 52 runs and 61 hits in a pair of see-saw battles.
Game 1: Fort Hays State 10, Missouri Western 9
Missouri Western jumped out to the early 3-0 lead, but FHSU rallied for five runs in the second using small ball to take a two-run lead.
Kevin Czarnecki started the rally in the second with a single, then after a walk, Alex King had a bunt single to load the bases. Andre Vieyra then hit a sharp RBI single to left field that was misplayed in left field, allowing all runners to score and tie the game. Vieyra reached third on the play and then was knocked in with a sacrifice bunt by Nick Hammeke. Caleb Cherryholmes would later use a sacrifice bunt to plate Gus Strunk, who reached by single, to produce the fifth run of the inning.
The Griffons would surge back into the lead with one run in the third and four in the fourth to go up 8-5, but Vieyra countered with a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth to cut the Griffon lead to 8-6.
MWSU tacked on one more run in the sixth to push the lead back to three at 9-6, but the Tigers put together a furious seventh inning rally to win the seven-inning contest.
Nick Hammeke started the inning with a single, then Connor Ross doubled to deep center field putting runners at second and third with no outs. That chased MWSU starter Banks Born from the game, who entered with a sub-2.00 ERA on the season. After pinch-hitter Joe Mapes lined out to shortstop, Austin Unrein drove a ball out of the park off closer Mike Calimeno to right-center field, tying the game at 9-9.
The Tigers continued to pour it on Calimeno, who allowed a single to Czarnecki and a double down the left field line by Cooper Langley to put runners at second and third again with just one out. Calimeno intentionally walked King to set up a force at every base, but did not matter as Vieyra sent a fly deep enough to right field to score pinch runner Jake Lanferman for the win. Vieyra finished the game with three RBI, as did Unrein.
FHSU starting pitcher Gabe Cook lasted 3.2 innings and allowed eight runs on nine hits with four strikeouts. Reliever Giles Fox, who would go on to get the win for FHSU, settled in against the Griffons to allow only one run over 3.1 innings of work. He gave up five hits, but struck out four, moving to 1-2 on the season.
Born, who entered with a stellar ERA for MWSU, was tagged for eight runs over 6.0 innings in his start for MWSU. He allowed 10 hits and a walk, but struck out four. Calimeno would take the loss for MWSU, allowing the final two runs on three hits and a walk. Calimeno moved to 0-2 on the year.
Game 2: Fort Hays State 17, Missouri Western 16
In a game that saw five lead changes, the Tigers prevailed in game two on a walk-off RBI single up the middle from Nick Hammeke to score Cooper Langley from second base. It was the only run the Tigers needed in the ninth to break a 16-16 tie.
Both teams plated one in the first, but MWSU outscored FHSU 4-3 in the second to take a 5-4 lead. FHSU grabbed its first lead of the game at 7-5 with a three-run third, triggered by a two-run home run by Andre Vieyra.
The Griffons pulled within one after the fourth, then exploded for six runs in the fifth to take the lead back at 12-7. The Tigers battled back once again, scoring three in the fifth and two in the sixth to knot the game 12-12. Unrein had a two-run homer in the fifth, while Vieyra had a RBI single and Hammeke had a sacrifice fly RBI in the sixth.
MWSU moved back in front 14-12 with a pair of runs in the seventh, but FHSU countered with three more in the bottom half of the frame to take a 15-14 lead. Caleb Cherryholmes pulled the Tigers within one with a solo homer, then Cooper Langley hit a line drive missile over the wall down the left field line to put the Tigers back in front with a two-run shot.
Missouri Western took the lead back once more in the eighth with a pair of runs, but FHSU responded with an Unrein RBI single in the bottom half to tie the game again at 16-16. Unrein shut the door on the Griffon offense in the top of the ninth, his second inning of relief, allowing the Tigers to get the walk-off win in the bottom half of the inning.
Unrein picked up the win in two innings of relief, moving to 3-2 on the season. Banks Born, who started game one for MWSU, gave up the winning run in relief in the ninth to take the loss, dropping to 3-1 on the year.
FHSU used three pitchers in the game. Steven Federau allowed 10 runs in 4.2 innings of work, but struck out eight. Kyle Vogt threw for 2.1 innings, allowing four runs. Unrein allowed two runs in his winning effort that lasted a pair of innings.
Missouri Western used five pitchers in the game. Josh Lansangan went 2.1 innings in the start, allowing seven runs. Matt Russell allowed four runs in 2.2 innings of work. Weston Caindec also allowed four in 2.0 innings. Gehrig Hudson lasted an inning, allowing one run, then Born allowed the final run in the ninth.