By FHSU Sports Information
Photo courtesy FHSU SID
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Fort Hays State dropped both games of a doubleheader at Missouri Western on Thursday (Apr. 12). The Tigers had a brief lead in the first game before the Griffons rallied for six unanswered runs in a 7-2 decision. In the nightcap, the Tigers could not find a timely hit in several run-scoring opportunities and fell 1-0.
Game 1: Missouri Western 7, Fort Hays State 2
Fort Hays State held a brief lead of 2-1 after a Bailey Boxberger 2-RBI double with the bases loaded in the top of the third inning. However, Missouri Western took the lead back in the bottom half of the third when Lonnie Groves hit a 2-out, 2-run home run. The Griffons pulled away steadily from that point and won by a final of 7-2.
The Griffons initially took the lead with a run in the second inning on a two-out RBI double before the Tigers scored their only runs in the third. The Griffons went on to plate runs in all of their turns at the plate except the first inning. A solo homer added a run in the fourth, an error and RBI single brought home runs in the fifth, and another error produced a run in the sixth.
Sierra Rodriguez threw 4.2 innings in the loss, allowing six runs (four earned) on 11 hits with a strikeout. Megan Jamison relieved for a third of an inning. Hailey Chapman threw the final inning and allowed an unearned run, while yielding a walk.
Boxberger and Rodriguez each went 2-for-3 at the plate, both recording doubles in the game. Candace Bollig and Terran Caldwell scored the runs for FHSU in the second on Boxberger’s double.
Kenzie Hilzer tossed a complete game, allowing five hits and two walks, while striking out three. One of her two runs allowed were earned.
Game 2: Missouri Western 1, Fort Hays State 0
Fort Hays State had plenty of opportunities to tie or take a lead in the nightcap, but a single run by Missouri Western in the first inning held up. The Griffons took the game 1-0 to sweep the doubleheader.
With two outs in the first inning, Missouri Western used a double and a Lonnie Groves RBI single to generate its only run. From that point, Tiger pitcher Hailey Chapman held the Griffons to just two hits the rest of the way and just four overall for the game.
The Tigers outhit the Griffons 6-4 in the game, but had nothing to show for it in the run column. In the first inning, the Tigers had runners reach first and third with one out thanks to a Griffon error. However, immediately following, a pop up on the infield and a fly out to left field ended the threat. In the second inning, the Tigers had consecutive singles with one out to put runners at first and second, but a foul out and line out ended that threat.
The Tigers had another excellent opportunity in the fourth when they had a pair of singles to open the inning. However, the Tigers’ struggled to move runners again with a strikeout, interference on the next play by a runner, and then a groundout to end the inning.
In the fifth, the Tigers got a runner on with one out due to an error, but then grounded into a double play to end another threat. With one out in the sixth, Grace Philop doubled, moved to third on a fielder’s choice, but a groundout ended another chance at a run. FHSU went down in order in the seventh inning, suffering its 20th straight loss away from Hays.
Kaili Hinds scattered six hits to go with two strikeouts in her complete game win for the Griffons. Hailey Chapman took another tough-luck loss, allowing just one run on four hits with five strikeouts. Grace Philop was the lone Tiger with a pair of hits in the game, going 2-for-3 at the dish.
Fort Hays State remains two games back of eighth place in the MIAA standings after Nebraska-Kearney lost twice to Northwest Missouri State. Nebraska-Kearney, Emporia State, Lindenwood, and Missouri Southern are all four games under .500 in MIAA play.
Another schedule adjustment has been made for Friday’s doubleheader at Northwest Missouri State. The games will begin at 10 am in Maryville, Mo.