FHSU Sports Information Department
HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State used five home runs in powering their way to a 14-4 run-rule win over Nebraska-Kearney on Wednesday evening (Apr. 27). FHSU improved to 19-25 overall and 13-20 in the MIAA.
The long ball played a huge factor for the Tigers, scoring 10 of their 14 runs via the home run. Joe Mapes belted two on the day for five RBI, Caleb Cherryholmes hit a three-run homer, and Connor Ross and Alex King each hit solo shots.
Ross put the Tigers up early, leading off the Tiger first inning with a rifle shot over the left field fence. The Lopers then knotted the game at 1-1 in the third. With two outs and a runner on third, a throwing error by the Tigers plated the run.
The Tigers responded with a four-run third inning to take the lead back, 5-1. King led off the inning with his second homerun of the year. With two outs, Austin Unrein started a rally when he worked a walk and stole second to move into scoring position. Alex Weiss plated Unrein with a single to left. Mapes then took a pitch the opposite way over the wall in left-center for a two-run shot.
In the fourth, the Lopers cut the lead to 5-3 thanks in part to a long ball of their own. Brent Kirsch hit his fourth homer of the year over the left field fence.
The Tigers broke the game open scoring three runs in the fifth and sixth each, one in the seventh, then two more in the eighth. With two on and nobody out in the fifth, Caleb Cherry Holmes took a fastball the other way for a three-run homer. In the sixth, Mapes once again rifled a pitch the other way plating three more runs on his second homer of the day. The Tigers made it a 12-4 game in the seventh on a pair of doubles from King and Nick Hammeke, and ended the game by run rule in the eighth after an RBI single from Casey Sedbrook and a walk-off RBI single from King.
Logan Herd picked up the win for the Tigers in his second complete game of the year. He is now 3-5 this season. He went 8.0 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits, with six strikeouts and two walks.
Andrew Riddell took the loss for the Lopers and drops to 1-2 this season. Riddell lasted 4.0 innings giving up seven runs (six earned) on seven hits, with three walks and six strikeouts.
The Tigers look for their third straight win on Thursday (Apr. 28) when they head to Pittsburg, Kan. for the start of a three-game series.