By FHSU Sports Information
Photo courtesy FHSU SID
The Fort Hays State baseball team jumped out to a seven-run lead before William Jewell rallied to take Thursday’s non-conference contest, 18-11. The Tigers dip to 13-22 overall while the Cardinals are now 14-12 this season, completing the season sweep of FHSU.
The Tigers jumped out to a quick start, batting around in the first inning to score four runs after WJC went down quietly in the top of the first. Back-to-back errors allowed the first two batters to reach safely before Alex Weiss and Dayton Pomeroy both singled to put the Tigers in front 2-0. Marcus Altman came through with a two-out base hit after an intentional walk, giving the Tigers a 4-0 lead after pulling a sharp single to left.
The Cardinals pushed one run across in the second before Fort Hays State added a pair in the home half of the inning. Addison Kaasch led off with a triple to right center, dropping one in on the warning track just out of the reach of the sprinting Cardinal center fielder. Clayton Basgall drove him home with a sacrifice fly before Dayton Pomeroy lifted a sky shot down the left field line, circling the bases after his 12th home run of the season.
After reliever Alex Ruxlow retired the Cardinals in order in the third inning, FHSU stretched its lead to seven after a leadoff walk to Ryan Grasser. Jordan Wilkerson then stepped up to the plate and crushed a 1-0 pitch sailing over the fence in left center, putting the Tigers in front 8-1.
William Jewell added single runs in the fourth and fifth innings before the Tigers went back up by seven on another home run. Another leadoff walk, this time to Cody Starkel, brought Grasser to the dish with one on and no outs. The Tiger second baseman unloaded on a 2-0 pitch, sending it soaring over the wall in left center to make the score 10-3.
The Cardinals started creeping back into the game with four runs in the sixth before tying things up at 10-10 with a trio of runs in the seventh. They added eight runs over the final two innings, totaling four home runs and six unearned runs over the final five innings. Weiss swatted the eighth home run of the game in the bottom of the ninth, going the opposite way with his third long ball of the season.
The Tigers will have the weekend off before traveling to Kearney, Neb. to take on the Lopers of Nebraska-Kearney next Wednesday (April 11). First pitch is set for 3 p.m.