FHSU Sports Information Department
HAYS, Kan. – After typical February last weekend in Oklahoma, the temperature warmed up Friday (Feb. 10) in Hays and so did the Tiger bats. The Fort Hays State baseball team picked up its first win of the season in its home opener, knocking off New Mexico Highlands 7-3 in game one of a three-game set. The Tigers improve to 1-3 on the year, while the Cowboys dip to 0-4 this season. FHSU picked up a dozen hits on the day after recording just 12 hits in three games combined last weekend.
Alex Ruxlow (1-1) picked up the win for Fort Hays State, tossing 6.1 innings while giving up seven hits and striking out five. Ty Redington posted the first five-hit game for a Tiger since 2013 (Horace Johnson), connecting with five singles to drive in three runs. The senior also scored one run and swiped a pair of bases. Clayton Basgall came on to finish things off with the tying run on deck, walking one batter before stranding the bases loaded with a pair of fly ball outs to earn the save.
Both teams left runners on the corners in the first inning before FHSU opened the scoring on the first pitch of the second inning with a deep drive over the left field fence from Dayton Pomeroy, his first home run of the season. Highlands stranded runners in scoring position in the top of the second, a reoccurring theme for the Cowboys. NMHU left 14 runners on base throughout the game, including leaving the bases juiced three times.
The Tigers tacked on another run in the second after Redington led off with a sharp single to left. After the speedy senior swiped second and advanced to third on a throwing error, Nick Hammeke drove him in with a single past the shortstop.
FHSU padded its lead in the fifth inning with a pair of unearned runs. Hammeke reached on an error and headed for second when Jake Lanferman reached on a fielder’s choice. Trevor Hughes drove a single to right center to plate Hammeke. Designated hitter Jason Nicholson drove in Lanferman with an RBI groundout that would have been the final out of the inning.
Hitting out of the nine hole, Basgall started a two-out rally in the sixth with an infield single to third. After moving to second on a passed ball, the junior came around to score on another single from Redington, this time an opposite-field knock to right to put the Tigers in front 5-0.
Highlands finally got took advantage with runners in scoring position in the seventh, driving a pair of singles to center after a leadoff walk to close the gap to 5-1. Ruxlow struck out the next batter swinging before skipper Steve Johnson made the call to the bullpen. Sam Capps cleaned things up with a pair of strikeouts bookending a walk to leave the bases loaded.
The Tigers scored on another two-out rally in the eighth, this time started by a single up the gut from Jace Bowman. Basgall followed it up by dropping a double just inside the right field foul line, putting runners at second and third for the top of the lineup. Redington then continued what he had done all afternoon, ripping a single to center to score both runs.
It took three different pitchers, but the Tigers finally escaped the ninth inning with the 7-3 victory. The Cowboys batted around in the inning, leaving the tying run at the plate. Austin Weiser came on to get one out while giving up a pair of singles, forcing Johnson to call on Basgall. After walking the first batter, Basgall sealed the deal with a fly ball to shallow left and a pop up to short.
The teams will face off again Saturday (Feb. 11), with first pitch set for 2 p.m.