FHSU Sports Information Department
HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State split a pair of one-run games on Friday (Mar. 4) with Central Missouri. The Tigers now sit at 7-8 overall and 1-1 in the MIAA, while UCM went to 8-9 overall and 1-1 in the MIAA. Central Missouri took game one by a score of 3-2, but the Tigers salvaged the second game with a walk-off winner in the eighth inning, 6-5.
Game 1: Central Missouri 3, Fort Hays State 2
In game one, the Tigers got plenty of runners on base but were unable to score in several bases-loaded situations. In each of the first three innings, the Tigers loaded the bases only to leave them stranded as no runs were scored.
Central Missouri opened the scoring in the fourth inning when they were able to muster two runs on three hits with a Tiger error. The Jennies added another run in the fifth.
The Tigers fought back late as they were able to cut the lead to one in the bottom of the sixth. Rilee Krier started the rally with a one-out walk and moved to third after a double by Courtney Dobson. An RBI single from Madeline LaPolla plated Krier. With runners on the corners, Chermayne Yago walked to load the bases and Tori Beltz hit a sacrifice fly to score Dobson from third.
FHSU kept UCM off the board in the seventh and eventually loaded the bases with just one out after Paxton Duran, Claudia Vazquez, and Krier singled consecutively. UCM pitcher Emily Robinson thwarted the threat by striking out the next two batters to claim the 3-2 win.
Paxton Duran took the loss in the circle going all seven innings. She allowed three runs on five hits, with three walks and six strikeouts.
Game 2: Fort Hays State 6, Central Missouri 5 (8 innings)
Fort Hays State nearly let a game it had well at hand slip in the seventh inning when three errors led to four UCM runs and a tie game, forcing extra innings.
UCM took the lead right out of the gate when Ali Jo Rogers hit the second pitch of the game over the fence in left center.
The Tigers gained their first lead of the day when they scored two runs in the second inning. Kiley Strand led off the inning with a solo homer that tied the game. Courtney Dobson reached by error and Erin Elmore delivered with an RBI double to the left-center gap making the score 2-1 in favor of the Tigers.
Two innings later the Tigers added to the lead with a three-run fourth. With one out Yago singled then moved to second and scored after Dobson hit her first homer of the season pushing the Fort Hays State lead to 4-1. Elmore then singled to left and scored on a single from LaPolla.
The Tigers took the 5-1 lead into the top of the seventh, but poor defensive play allowed the Jennies to tie the game. After a one-out double from Alexis Koop, the wheels feel off for the Tigers. Back-to-back errors from the Tigers allowed the Jennies to cut the lead to three runs. All seemed well when Carrie Clark got the next batter to fly out, but she walked the next batter and handed the ball to Duran who came in with the bases loaded. Another Tiger error plated two runs, then a single from Katie Giacone tied the game at five.
Duran retired the Jennies in order in the eighth and Fort Hays State headed to the bottom half looking for the walk-off finish. With two outs Vazquez singled to left field and Elmore stepped up to the plate. She was able to muscle a two-strike pitch to right field and the diving UCM fielder missed the catch and the ball rolled past. Meanwhile, wheeling on contact Vazquez came all the way around to score giving the Tigers the 6-5 walk-off victory.
Clarke went 6.2 innings for the Tigers and did not get a decision after allowing five runs (one earned) on six hits, three walks, and a strikeout. Duran picked up her sixth win of the year going 1.1 innings and allowing just one hit.
The Tigers return to the field Saturday (Mar. 5) with another MIAA doubleheader against Southwest Baptist. Start time is 1 pm.