By FHSU Sports Information
Photo courtesy FHSU SID
| The Fort Hays State baseball team was unable to bounce back from a slow start Sunday afternoon against Missouri Western, dropping the series finale 13-5. The Tigers honored the 2018 senior class before their final home game of the season.
Fort Hays State is now 13-34 on the year and 5-28 in MIAA play, while the Griffons are now 26-21 overall and 18-15 in league acton, all but locking up a spot in the MIAA tournament. Missouri Western took control early, sending 10 to the plate in the top of the first to accumulate six runs. They stretched the lead to 9-0 with three more runs in the third. After struggling to solve Griffon starter Jacob Miller (8-2) over the first five innings, collecting just two hits, the Tiger offense came alive in the bottom of the sixth. An MWSU error kicked off the big inning with Alex Weiss following with a double to right center, extending his career-long hitting streak to 15 games. Dayton Pomeroy worked a walk to load the bases before Ryan Grasser came to the plate with the bases loaded. The junior punched a single to right, plating the first Tiger run of the game. Jordan Wilkerson followed with a towering grand slam over the fence in left field, fighting the wind blowing in all the way. With one swing of the bat, the centerfielder drove in four RBI for just the second game this season, crushing his ninth home run of the season in the process and closing the gap to 9-5. Missouri Western added four runs over the final two innings off the Tiger bullpen, while the Griffon bullpen thwarted the Tiger offense over the final three frames, not allowing a baserunner. Wilkerson added a highlight reel catch in the top of the ninth, diving to make a grab just before the ball hit the grass in left center. Grasser was the lone Tiger with multiple hits, collecting two of FHSU’s six base knocks on the day. Ben Ramberg (2-6) took the loss while Tanner Smith tossed 4.1 effective innings out of the pen, striking out seven and allowing just one unearned run. Senior Alex Ruxlow struck out three over three innings in his final home game. The Tigers are set to wrap up the regular season next weekend with a three-game series against Missouri Southern in Joplin, Mo. (May 4-6). First pitch in Friday’s opener is set for 6 p.m. |