FHSU Sports Information Department
Northeastern State (9-10, 2-0 MIAA) at Fort Hays State (6-12, 0-0 MIAA)
Friday, March 9 – 1 pm
Hays, Kan. – Tiger Stadium
#9 Central Oklahoma at Fort Hays State
Saturday, March 10 – 1 pm
Hays, Kan. – Tiger Stadium
Fort Hays State Softball opens MIAA play this weekend (Mar. 10-11) at home when it hosts Northeastern State and No. 9 ranked Central Oklahoma. The conference opening doubleheader against NSU begins at 1 pm on Friday, then UCO comes to town for a pair on Saturday also at 1 pm.
The Tigers enter conference play at 6-12 overall. FHSU snapped a four-game losing skid by winning the second game of a doubleheader at Newman University on Tuesday. Veronica Knittig is leading the Tigers at the plate with a .396 average, five doubles, one home run, and 16 RBI. Bailey Boxberger (11) and Bailey Kennedy (10) have also reached double figures in RBI this year, and both are hitting north of .325. In the pitching circle, Hailey Chapman is 4-7 with a 4.34 ERA, while Carrie Clarke is 2-2 with a 4.40 ERA.
Northeastern State enters Friday at 9-10 overall and 2-0 in the MIAA. The RiverHawks swept a doubleheader with Washburn in Tahlequah on Tuesday to start conference play. Paige Gann was named the FPN Division II National Player of the Week for her efforts last week. She had five home runs and seven RBI over a six-game stretch. She leads NSU in hitting at .429 for the season with four doubles, eight home runs, and 20 RBI. NSU has used five pitchers in the circle this season and all of them have made starts.
Central Oklahoma currently holds the No. 9 national ranking in Division II, entering the weekend at 11-3 overall and 2-0 in the MIAA. Like NSU, UCO swept Washburn in a conference doubleheader earlier this week. The Bronchos will play a pair of conference games at Nebraska-Kearney on Friday before coming down to Hays. UCO has three players hitting over .400 on the season, the biggest threat in Morgan Heard with 12 extra-base hits (3 doubles, 2 triples, 7 home runs) and 17 RBI. In the circle, Peyton Walker has been tough to solve. She has a 7-1 record with a 0.99 ERA.