FHSU Sports Information Department
HAYS, Kan. – A called third strike with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth helped the Fort Hays State baseball team hold on to defeat Colorado Christian in game one of a three-game set Friday afternoon (Feb. 17), 7-6.
The Tigers improved to 5-3 with the victory, extending their winning streak to five games. The Cougars dipped to 3-6 on the year.
Jake Lanferman finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, clubbing his third home run of the season in the third. Dayton Pomeroy and Jared Bogosian also collected a pair of hits at the dish. Alex Ruxlow (2-1) worked around six hits and four walks to give up four unearned runs in six innings of work, earning the win. Clayton Basgall picked up his second save of the season after holding the Cougars scoreless over the final 1.1 innings.
Colorado Christian jumped in front in the top of the second with four unearned runs, all crossing the plate with two outs. The Tigers got two runs back when Lanferman sent a 3-2 pitch over the wall in left in the third, scoring Ty Redington.
Fort Hays State tied things up in the fourth after Pomeroy doubled down the line in left. Bogosian followed suit two pitches later, sending a sharp grounder over the third base bag for another double. Jace Bowman laced a single right up the middle two batters later to plate Bogosian and tie the score at four.
The Tigers took their first lead of the day in the fifth when Lanferman reached on an infield single to deep short. After the sophomore swiped second, Lanferman came around to score when the Cougar second baseman botched a line drive off the bat of Trevor Hughes.
The Tigers weren’t done, adding a pair of much-needed insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. Bryce Witchurch drilled a double to right center before the wheels came off for CCU. Two runs came in to score after the Cougars made a pair of throwing errors on two sacrifice bunt attempts.
The Cougars got one run back in the seventh and another in the eighth to close within one, but Basgall came on to slam the door with two outs in the eighth. After inducing a groundout to end that threat, the junior issued a hit and two hits to put runners at the corners with one out. The next Cougar at the plate popped up a bunt right back to Basgall. After a walk loaded the bases, Basgall struck out the final batter of the game, painting the inside corner on a 3-2 pitch.
The teams will face off again Saturday (Feb. 18) with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.