FHSU Sports Information Department
HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State split its third-consecutive doubleheader on Saturday (Mar. 5) when it took on Southwest Baptist. SBU took the first game 4-3, but the Tigers rebounded in the second game with a 6-3 victory. With the split the Tigers are now 8-9 overall and 2-2 in the MIAA, while the Bearcats head back to Bolivar, Mo., with a record of 8-12 overall, 3-1 in the conference.
Game 1: Southwest Baptist 4, Fort Hays State 3
The teams locked in a defensive battle for the first four innings as both teams scattered a few base runners but neither could produce a run. In the top half of the fifth however, the Bearcats put together a four-run inning which proved to be amount they needed to win the game.
Yezzania Gonzalez led off the inning with a single for SBU. After a lineout, a bunt single from Catlin Evans, and a Tiger error loaded the bases. The next batter, Dana Graves, was hit by a pitch bringing in the first run of the ball game. Then with two outs, Kaley Hansen cleared the bases with a three-run double pushing the Bearcat lead to 4-0.
The Tigers brought the game to within one in the bottom of the sixth by plating three runs. A one-out walk by Paxton Duran, followed up by a single from Kylie Strand and a bunt single from Chermayne Yago loaded the bases. Duran then scored on a ground out from Claudia Vazquez and the Tigers had runners on second and third with two down. A wild pitch allowed Strand to come in from third and Madeline LaPolla plated Yago with a two out single to left.
The three runs would be all the Tigers would get however as they went down in order in the seventh to end the game.
Duran took the loss in the circle for the Tigers with a stat line of 7.0 innings pitched, four earned runs, seven hits, one walk, and six strikeouts.
Game 2: Fort Hays State 6, Southwest Baptist 3
In game two the Tigers took the lead early, when they saw three runners cross the plate in the second inning. Three consecutive singles from Duran, Strand, and Yago loaded the bases to start the inning. After recording the first out on a pop up, the Bearcat shortstop threw the ball away as she tried to double off Strand on second. The error allowed Duran to score and moved the other two baserunners to second and third. Vazquez then hit a high chopper over third that scored two and the Tigers were up 3-0.
Fort Hays State added another run in the third when Rilee Krier walked and eventually scored on an RBI single by Tori Beltz.
The Bearcats got one run in the top half of the sixth from a two-out, pinch hit RBI single off the bat of Kelcee Welch, but nothing more. In the Tiger half of the sixth, Yago singled with one out and later scored off of Vazquez’s two-out RBI single. Erin Elmore plated Vazquez with an RBI single of her own and the Tigers led 6-1 heading into the final inning.
The Bearcats were able to load the bases and push two runs across in the seventh, but the Tiger defense stopped the rally with a line out double play to come away with the 6-3 win.
Carrie Clarke picked up her second win of the year as she went the distance for the Tigers, giving up three runs on twelve hits with a strikeout.
The Tigers will enjoy a week off before they head to Joplin, Mo., where they will take on Missouri Southern for two games on Saturday (Mar. 12).