The Tigers jumped out to a 4-0 lead through two and a half inning before the Gorillas notched their first two runs in the third. Connor Ross led off the game with a solo home run in the first and then Kevin Czarnecki provided a three-run blast in the third to give the Tigers the early cushion.
Pittsburg State added two more runs in the fourth to tie the game, but the Tigers regained the lead for good with two runs in the fifth on another Ross solo homer and a Czarnecki RBI single. The Gorillas pulled back within one at 6-5 with a run in the fifth, but Cooper Langley pushed the lead to three at 8-5 with a two-run homer in the seventh.
Tyler Patty relieved Joe Mapes in the fourth inning and went 3.2 innings in relief for the win. Patty allowed just two hits and two walks, while striking out two. His only run allowed was unearned. Mapes went 3.1 innings in his start, allowing four runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
Nick Brandecker took the loss for PSU, moving to 1-2 on the year. He allowed five runs on five hits and three walks, but struck out four. Reliever Aaron Snow allowed one run to the Tigers and Drake Herrman allowed two.
Game 2: Fort Hays State 7, Pittsburg State 2
Fort Hays State took a 1-0 lead after the first inning on an Austin Unrein RBI triple, but Pittsburg State took its first lead with two runs in the third to go up 2-1. The Tigers knotted the game with a Connor Ross RBI single in the fourth.
Pittsburg State’s only error of the game would prove costly in the fifth as Andre Vieyra made the Gorillas pay with a two-out, two-RBI single, putting the Tigers on top 4-2. Those would prove to be the decisive runs as FHSU starter Justin Hersch and Unrein made the lead hold up.
Hersch had his second consectutive solid outing on the mound, allowing just two runs in 6.1 innings of work. He surrendered six hits and three walks, but struck out seven. Unrein picked up his second save of the season by pitching the final 2.2 innings of the game. He allowed just one hit and struck out three.
Providing insurance in the eighth and ninth were Jake Lanferman and Cooper Langley. Lanferman had a solo homer in the eighth to make it 5-2, then Langley made it 7-2 with a two-run homer. Langley now has 15 home runs on the season as he hit three in the series.
Fort Hays State hosts its final five home games this coming week at Larks Park in Hays. FHSU takes on Newman in a non-conference game on Wednesday at 5 p.m., before hosting Emporia State in a four-game MIAA series on the weekend.