FHSU Sports Information Department
MARYVILLE, Mo. – The Fort Hays State baseball team wrapped up the regular season with a 5-4 loss to Northwest Missouri Sunday afternoon (May 7) at Bearcat Field. The Tigers rallied to take a 4-3 lead in the seventh, but a pair of Bearcat runs in the eighth inning sealed the victory for the home team.
The Tigers finished the regular season 10-39 overall and 3-33 in MIAA play, while the Bearcats wrap up 31-18 overall and 19-16 in the league.
The Bearcats jumped in front early with two runs in the second inning, but Fort Hays State answered by tying the game with single runs in the third and fourth innings. Ryan Imber slapped a single up the middle before moving to second on a wild pitch. The left fielder advanced to third on a ground ball before coming around to score on an infield single from Nick Hammeke.
Clayton Basgall opened the fourth inning with a single to right and moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Bryce Witchurch singled to center, knocking in Basgall and tying the game at two.
Northwest Missouri regained the lead with an unearned run in the fifth before the Tigers jumped in front in the top of the seventh. Ty Redington led off by drawing a walk before moving up to third on a single from Marcus Altman. Hammeke drove in his second run of the day with a RBI groundout, tying things up at three. Trevor Hughes gave FHSU a 4-3 lead with a single to center in the next at-bat, plating Altman from second. The Bearcats, however, responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the eighth to take the lead for good.
Ben Ramberg (0-9) took the loss after giving up five runs (four earned) on just five hits over seven innings of work. Basgall came on to record the final three outs, striking out one.
The Tigers managed 11 singles in the loss, outhitting NWMSU 11-5. Altman, Imber and Dayton Pomeroy all recorded two hits in the season finale. Hammeke picked up two RBI on the day, giving the senior 30 runs batted in on the year. Hughes finished the year with a team-best 34 RBI after driving in the go-ahead run in the seventh. Redington drew three walks and swiped one base in his final game as a Tiger, while Jace Bowman finished 1-for-4 with a single.