FHSU Sports Infomation Department
HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State swept Lincoln University in a conference doubleheader on Sunday (Mar. 20) at Tiger Stadium. FHSU shutout Lincoln in game one 5-0 before taking the second contest 9-4. FHSU moved to 12-17 overall and 6-6 in the MIAA, while Lincoln dropped to 2-27 overall and 1-11 in the MIAA.
Game 1: Fort Hays State 5, Lincoln 0
Paxton Duran threw her second shutout of the season and struck out nine to help FHSU to a 5-0 victory. She scattered four hits and hit one batter, but did not allow any walks. She improved to 7-10 on the season with the win.
Veronica Knittig opened the scoring for the Tigers in the third with a solo homer to left field. Erin Elmore followed with a double and then Rilee Krier singled before Tori Beltz drove both of them home on a smash single up the middle. FHSU added a run in the fifth on a Duran RBI single and a Lincoln fielding error led to a run in the sixth.
Macie Kinsey took the loss for Lincoln. She pitched 3.0 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits. Madison Ragar also pitched three innings and allowed one run.
Game 2: Fort Hays State 9, Lincoln 4
Fort Hays State took an early 1-0 lead in game two on a Kylie Strand RBI single in the first, but a pair of errors by the Tigers in the second led to three Lincoln runs. FHSU trailed Lincoln 3-1 through three innings before breaking through in the fourth.
The Tigers scored six runs in the fourth on five hits and a Lincoln error led to two unearned runs in the inning. FHSU plated the first run on a wild pitch, then Rilee Krier delivered a game tying RBI single. Tori Beltz nearly in a grand slam as her blast hit high off the wall in left center, resulting in a two-RBI double to give FHSU a 5-3 lead. Strand later had an RBI groundout and Chermayne Yago also drove home a run with a single.
FHSU tacked on two more runs in the sixth on a Beltz two-run homer. Lincoln plated one run in the seventh, but it was too little, too late. Beltz went 3-for-4 at the plate in the game with four RBI.
Carrie Clarke went the distance for FHSU in the pitching circle, allowing four runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks. She struck out a season-high five batters.
Lauren Stamp took the loss for Lincoln, allowing seven runs (five earned) on seven hits and a walk. Sarah Westhoff threw five innings for Lincoln and gave up just two runs.
The Tigers now head on the road for a couple of weeks. FHSU will have conference doubleheaders at Northeastern State and Central Oklahoma next week before heading to Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri State the following week.