LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The Fort Hays State baseball team started the season off with a win for the first time since 2012 with a 12-9 victory over New Mexico Highlands in 10 innings on Saturday (Feb. 6). The Tigers trailed early giving up six runs in the first two innings but had enough grit and a little help from the poor defensive play by NMHU to complete the comeback.
The Tigers started the comeback in the top of the third inning when Austin Unrein and Ty Redington both scored on a two-out error by the Cowboys making the score 6-2 until the top of the fourth. Unrein, with a single, made it all the way home on a fielding mistake by the NMHU center fielder.
The Tigers managed for four runs in the fourth inning with four hits, a hit batter, and a walk to tie the game at 6-6. Trevor Hughes and Caleb Cherryholmes each had one RBI while Unrein netted two on a single to tie the game. In the bottom half of the inning, the Cowboys reclaimed the lead as a hit batter came around to score after a two-out error from the Tigers.
The Tigers went on to score three more runs in the next two innings but were shut out in the final three. Alex Weiss tied the game with a sacrifice fly in the fifth and Cherryholmes and Joe Mapes each had RBIs in the sixth to give FHSU its first lead.
The Tigers held a 9-7 advantage going into the bottom of the seventh inning but suffered one run in each of the next two innings making the game 9-9 going into the ninth inning. Each team went 1-2-3 in the ninth frame, giving the fans some free afternoon baseball.
In the 10th inning, the Tigers took advantage of several Cowboy mistakes. Alex Weiss led the inning off with a double and ended up on third after a sacrifice bunt from pinch hitter, Colton Helm. The next batter, Nick Hammeke struck out swinging but the Cowboy catcher dropped the ball and overthrew first base allowing Weiss to score and Hammeke to advance to second. After Redington line out, Cherryholmes hit a ball to right field that was dropped allowing Hammeke to score. Unrein then stepped up to the plate and delivered an insurance run with an RBI single to make it 12-9.
The Cowboys had no answer as Giles Fox struck out the side in the bottom of the 10th, sealing the Tiger victory. Fox retired the final eight batters of the game to secure a win in 2.2 innings of relief, striking out five total.
Unrein led the Tigers offensively going 3-for-6 with three RBI and a stolen base. Weiss added two hits, both doubles, and an RBI, while Connor Ross chipped in two hits of his own.
The Tigers face off against the Cowboys again on Sunday (Feb. 7) at 12 pm MT. Coaches made a decision to move the game up an hour on Sunday.