ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Fort Hays State dropped its final two games at the Hy-Vee Classic on Sunday (Mar. 19). The Tigers fell by run rule to Winona State 11-3 before giving up a late lead in a 5-4 loss to Wayne State (Neb.). The Tigers moved to 9-17 overall on the season.
Winona State 11, Fort Hays State 3

Trailing 4-0 after four innings, Fort Hays State rallied in the fifth inning with three runs to cut the margin to just one. However, the ground made up by FHSU instantly vanished in the bottom half of the fifth with an untimely two-out error. A run scored on the play and then the next batter hit a three-run home run to push the Winona State lead to 8-3. The Warriors ended the game with another three-run homer in the sixth inning to trigger the run rule.

Collete West went 2-for-3 in the game for FHSU, driving in two of the team’s three runs on a single in the fifth. She also had a double in the fourth inning. The Tigers benefitted from a throwing error for their other run.

Errors were costly to the Tigers as six of the 11 runs were unearned. Carrie Clarke pitched a complete game for FHSU, allowing 12 hits and four walks, with two strikeouts. Jaida Reinen also threw a complete game for WSU, allowing five hits and a walk, with one strikeout.

Wayne State 5, Fort Hays State 4

Fort Hays State held two leads, but could not hang on in the final game of the weekend. After Wayne State took a 1-0 lead after the top of the first, the Tigers responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Wayne State knotted the score 3-3 in the fourth, but the Tigers pushed back ahead with a run in the bottom half of the inning to lead 4-3. A two-RBI single by Jordyn Breitbarth in the sixth decided the game.

Candace Bollig had two RBI, coming on a double to cap the three-run first inning for FHSU. She was 2-for-4 at the plate. Collette West was also 2-for-4, providing an RBI single in the first. Bailey Kennedy knocked in the fourth run for FHSU with a double in the fourth, part of her 3-for-4 game at the plate. Kylie Strand was 2-for-3 and scored on Kennedy’s double.

Hailey Chapman took the loss for FHSU, allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits and three walks in six innings of work. She struck out three. Carrie Clarke recorded the final three outs in the seventh.

Nataliah Hopkins went 5.0 innings for the Wildcats, allowing four runs (three earned) on 11 hits. Riley Vanderveen picked up a save, throwing the final two innings and allowing just two hits with a strikeout.

The Tigers stay out on the road this coming week with a non-conference doubleheader at Metro State in Denver on Tuesday (Mar. 21). They travel to Central Missouri and Southwest Baptist for conference doubleheaders next weekend.