FHSU Sports Information Department
CANYON, Texas – Fort Hays State dropped all three of its contests on Saturday (Feb. 11) at the WT Invitational. The Tigers fell in their first contest 5-1 to Cameron, then squandered a five-run lead in a 16-14 loss to Missouri Southern. The day ended with a 9-1 run-rule loss to No. 4 ranked West Texas A&M. FHSU is now 1-4 overall.
Cameron 5, Fort Hays State 1
Hailey Chapman carried a good start to her season in the pitching circle from day one over to the first two innings against Cameron. She held the Aggies hitless through the first two innings but finally ran into trouble in the third.
Cameron posted two runs on three hits in the third, then added two more runs in the fifth on a double to take a 4-0 lead. FHSU scored its only run of the game on a RBI single by Jeni Mohr in the fifth. The Aggies got the run back in the sixth on a RBI single, making the final margin of 5-1.
Chapman (1-2) threw a complete game and allowed five runs on eight hits with six walks and two strikeouts. Bethany Hines moved to 6-2 on the season with a complete game effort for Cameron. She surrendered one run on seven hits with a walk and two strikeouts. Ashley Beavers went 2-for-2 at the plate and had one of FHSU’s three doubles in the game.
Missouri Southern 16, Fort Hays State 14
Fort Hays State looked to be on its way to a second victory for the weekend, but an error triggered a nine-run rally in the seventh inning for Missouri Southern. That erased a 12-7 lead the Tigers held going into the final inning, but the Lions capitalized on miscues then held on by allowing just two runs to the Tigers in the bottom half of the inning.
The Tigers had big leads squandered twice in this game as they led 4-0 after two innings. Bailey Boxberger connected with a two-run home run in the first inning, then Veronica Knittig and Candace Bollig picked up RBIs in the second.
After going hitless the first two innings, the Lions solved Tiger starter Carrie Clarke in the third scoring three runs on three hits to cut the Tiger lead to one. MSSU vaulted into the lead, 6-4, with three more runs on four hits in the fourth. But the Tigers had an answer in the bottom half of the inning as Boxberger knocked home two more with a double, followed by a RBI single from Tess Gray. FHSU led 7-6 heading into the fifth.
Lexie Kimminau relieved Clarke at the beginning of the fifth and put a zero on the board before Bailey Kennedy and Knittig provided back-to-back RBI doubles in the bottom half of the inning to give FHSU a 9-6 advantage.
A passed ball gave the Lions a run in the sixth, but in the bottom half Jeni Mohr blasted a three-run homer to push the Tiger lead to 12-7.
Right as it looked as though the Tigers would outlast the Lions in the high scoring affair, a fielding error to start the seventh inning turned into a nightmare for the Tigers. Back-to-back singles loaded the bases, then a walk forced a run in. One batter later, the lead was very uncomfortable as Sydney Koch cleared the bases with a double and it was 12-11 in the blink of an eye with no outs.
Coach Pilkington turned to Hailey Chapman in hopes of working out of the jam, but another error immediately after the pitching change let the floodgates open for the Lions. MSSU loaded the bases again, then took the lead 13-12 on back-to-back RBI singles. Chapman then struggled to find the strike zone and three more runs came across on bases-loaded walks. All nine runs crossed the plate without the Tigers recording an out. Starter Carrie Clarke re-entered in the circle and was immediately able to get three straight outs, but the damage was done.
The Tigers tried to rally back in the bottom of the seventh but came up short. Back-to-back doubles by Knittig and Bollig plated a run immediately for FHSU, but Bollig was caught in a rundown and the mistake cleared the bases for the first out. With two outs, the Tigers got a single, a walk, then a RBI single from Lily Sale to bring the potential winning run to the plate with two runners on. But a groundout ended the game.
Chapman took the loss in the circle in relief. She was responsible for the final four runs in the seventh surrendered by the Tigers. She moved to 1-3 on the season in the loss with three of the four runs earned and did not record an out. All six of Clarke’s runs were earned as she went five innings (four to start, one on re-entry), and four of the six Kimminau allowed were earned in two innings of work.
Overall, the teams combined for 34 hits in the game (19 for FHSU, 15 for MSSU).
No. 4 West Texas A&M 9, Fort Hays State 1
The Tigers faced tournament host West Texas A&M in the nightcap, a team that was one of eight to make the NCAA Championship site last year. After two scoreless innings for both teams, the Lady Buffs erupted for five runs in the third to take a commanding lead.
Ashley Beavers knocked home the only run for FHSU in the fourth on a bases-loaded ground out. The Lady Buffs went on to score three in the fourth and one in the fifth to win by run-rule, 9-1.
Lexie Kimminau pitched a complete game for FHSU but did not record an out in the fifth before the run-rule ended the game. She allowed nine runs on 10 hits with six walks in 4.0 innings. Left-hander Shayne Starkey allowed just one run and scattered four hits with a walk in 5.0 innings to move to 3-0 on the season for WTAMU.
The Tigers head to Bentonville, Arkansas next week for the 8-State Classic, where they are scheduled to play six games.