Fort Hays State University won its third straight game over Missouri Western in walk-off fashion on Saturday in Hays before having to settle for a doubleheader split. FHSU won game one 8-7 on back-to-back home runs before falling in game two 9-5. The Tigers took three of four games in the weekend series.
Game 1: Fort Hays State 8, Missouri Western 7
The Tigers were down to their last out, trailing by three runs before Connor Ross hit a three-run home run to tie the game. After MWSU changed pitchers, Caleb Cherryholmes stepped to the plate and delivered a towering walk-off solo home run down the left field line to lift the Tigers to victory. It was the third straight game the Tigers won in walk-off fashion against the Griffons on the weekend, after doing it twice on Friday.
Mike Calimeno of MWSU blew his second save opportunity of the series, allowing a pair of runners to reach base by walk before the three-run homer by Ross.
Missouri Western led 2-0 heading to the bottom of the third before the Tigers benefitted from a pair of errors to score three runs and take a 3-2 lead. With the bases loaded, Cherryholmes laced a single up the middle that was misplayed by the center fielder, allowing all three runs to score. He picked up two RBI on the play.
After MWSU tied the game in the top of the fourth, FHSU responded in the bottom half with a RBI single from Andre Vieyra to go back on top 4-3. But the Griffons would tie it once more with a run in the sixth.
Tied 4-4, the Tigers had a rash of three errors in the seventh that allowed MWSU to jump out to a 7-4 lead. But the Tigers shook it off to battle for the walk-off victory in the bottom half of the inning.
Joe Mapes had a solid start for the Tigers on the mound, throwing 4.0 innings. He allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits with one strikeout. Tyler Patty threw two innings, allowing one run on four hits. Giles Fox pitched the seventh, allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits. Fox picked up the win, moving to 2-2 on the season.
MWSU starter AJ Martinez threw 5.0 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on seven hits and a walk, but struck out three. Kyle Kelly threw one scoreless inning before turning the ball over the Calimeno in the seventh. Calimeno was charged with three runs, but the loss went to Gehrig Hudson, who served up the game-winning homer to Cherryholmes.
Game 2: Missouri Western 9, Fort Hays State 5
FHSU allowed nine runs to Missouri Western in the first inning of the nine-inning contest, which was too much to overcome in a four-run loss.
Alex Cox and Clayton Basgall combined to allow nine runs in the first inning before the ball was turned over to Justin Hersch. Throwing the final 8.1 innings, Hersch was masterful in his relief outing, keeping the Griffons scoreless, but the offense could not produce enough runs to catch up. Hersch scattered seven hits and walked only one, but struck out four, throwing 114 pitches.
Grant Woods threw 6.0 innings for the Griffons in his start and allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Kyle Kelly pitched the final 3.0 innings to earn his first save of the year, allowing one run on a hit with two walks and five strikeouts.
FHSU scored single runs in the second, third, fifth, sixth, and ninth. Connor Ross, Kevin Czarnecki, Alex King, and Nick Hammeke all had one RBI. Hammeke’s was a solo home run.
The Tigers are now 10-22 overall and 8-16 in the MIAA. Missouri Western went to 19-15 overall and 13-11 in the MIAA. FHSU hosts Bethany College in a non-conference contest on Wednesday at Larks Park in Hays at 4 p.m.