FHSU Sports Information Department
HAYS, Kan. – The Fort Hays State baseball team won its fourth-consecutive game Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 15), knocking off Oklahoma-Panhandle State 10-1. The Tigers move to 4-3 on the year, with the Aggies dipping to 2-5 overall.
Three Tiger pitchers combined to hold OPSU to just one run, working around 10 Aggie hits. Sam Capps (1-0) earned the win after pitching five shutout innings, giving up four hits while striking out four. The junior lowered his season ERA to 0.87. Zac Rothert came on to toss three effective innings, giving up one run on six hits to go along with a pair of strikeouts. Ryan McClure came on to face the minimum in the ninth, inducing a game-ending double play.
The Black and Gold rattled off 16 hits at the plate, with all 10 Tigers making a plate appearance collecting at least one hit. Trevor Hughes recorded the first multi-home run game for a Tiger this season, finishing 2-for-4 while driving in four RBI. Jake Lanferman and Nick Hammeke each collected three hits, with Lanferman picking up his second home run of the season. Dayton Pomeroy clubbed a pair of doubles, scoring two runs.
Lanferman opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with a two-out solo shot to deep left on the first pitch he saw. Capps worked with runners on base much of the afternoon, retiring the side in order just once in his final inning of work.
Hughes doubled the lead to open the fourth inning, pulling a 0-2 fastball over the fence in right. Pomeroy followed with a double into the gap in left center before scoring on a two-run single up the middle from Clayton Basgall.
The Aggies got one run back in the top of the sixth, but FHSU answered with a pair of insurance runs in the home half of the frame. Jace Bowman singled past the second baseman before swiping second. The senior moved to third on an infield single from Colton Helm. After Ty Redington walked on four-straight pitches to load the bases, Lanferman delivered once again with a single through the right side, plating two for the Tigers.
The Tigers put together a big two-out rally in the fourth inning to build the lead to 10-1. After the first two batters struck out, Hammeke doubled to left center to keep the inning alive. Lanferman legged out an infield single on a slow roller before Hughes delivered his second home run of the day, a no-doubter to right center. Pomeroy kept things going with another double to left center, scoring on a Cody Starkel single to center.
Fort Hays State will wrap up a seven-game homestand this weekend with a three-game series against Colorado Christian Friday through Sunday (Feb. 17-19). First pitch Friday is set for 3 p.m.