FHSU Sports Information Department
WICHITA, Kan. – Fort Hays State fell in walk-off fashion twice on Tuesday (Apr. 5), swept in a doubleheader at Newman University. Newman plated the winning run to break a tie in the seventh each game, winning by scores of 2-1 and 7-6. FHSU moved to 13-26 overall on the season and saw its losing streak grow to nine games.
Game 1: Newman 2, Fort Hays State 1
Fort Hays State fell victim to a walk-off fashion for the sixth time in the last eight games when Newman broke a 1-1 tie with an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh.
The Tigers were down to their last out in the top of the seventh with Rilee Krier at third base when Samantha Villarreal knocked her in with an RBI double to the right center gap. The Tigers had several other good opportunities to score runs earlier in the game, but failed to convert and that came back to cost them late in another close game.
In the bottom of the seventh, Newman led off with a single and then drew a walk with one out to put runners at first and second. Taylor Mannis, who had a three-hit contest for Newman, ended the game with an RBI single to the right side.
Paxton Duran took the loss, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks, while striking out five. Katie Ingles recorded the win for Newman with one run allowed on five hits and five walks, with three strikeouts.
Game 2: Newman 7, Fort Hays State 6
Down 5-1 in the fifth inning, Fort Hays State battled back to take a 6-5 lead with a five-run inning. The rally was sparked by three straight singles and then a grand slam by Tori Beltz to tie the game. Later in the inning, Madeline LaPolla plated the go-ahead run on a safety squeeze.
The lead was brief though as Newman’s Courtney Sartin hit a solo home run off Paxton Duran, who had just entered the game in relief, to tie it 6-6. The score remained that way until lightning struck twice in the form of Sartin in the seventh inning, when she hit another solo homer to end the game. It pushed the run of walk-off victories by Tiger opponents to seven of the last nine games, with five of the seven occurring in the final inning and just two by run-rule fashion.
Fort Hays State’s Carrie Clarke started the game in the pitching circle, holding Newman to just a run through the first three innings. She ran into trouble in the fourth when she allowed four runs on four hits. Overall, she allowed five runs on five hits and four walks, with three strikeouts. Duran took the loss for the second straight game, going 2.1 innings of relief with two runs allowed on three hits with three strikeouts.
Kate Smith was the winning pitcher for Newman, allowing six runs (five earned) on 12 hits and a walk with three strikeouts in a complete game effort.
Postseason hopes will hang in the balance this weekend at Tiger Stadium when Fort Hays State hosts Emporia State and Washburn in a pair of critical MIAA doubleheaders at Tiger Stadium. At six games under .500 in conference play, FHSU will have to play well this weekend to stay alive in the MIAA Tournament picture. Friday’s (Apr. 8) doubleheader against Emporia State marks the annual “Jam-Pack” Tiger Stadium event, which begins at 4 pm.