By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
Fort Hays State Softball had a good start to MIAA play on Sunday afternoon (Mar. 17) with a pair of wins over Missouri Southern at Tiger Stadium. FHSU took game one 8-4 and then secured the doubleheader sweep with an 8-2 win in the second contest. FHSU moved to 9-8 overall, 2-0 in the MIAA, while MSSU went to 8-9 overall, 1-3 in the MIAA.
Game 1: Fort Hays State 8, Missouri Southern 4
The Tigers put game one away early with a pair of runs in the first and four in the second to build a 6-0 lead through two innings. Sara Breckbill picked up two RBI on her double down the right field line in the first, knocking in Terran Caldwell and Katie Adler. In the second, Grace Philop knocked in a pair of runs on a single with the bases loaded. Breckbill loaded the bases again with a single, then Bailey Boxberger and Allison Jurgensen picked up one RBI each by drawing walks to force runs across.
Missouri Southern plated single runs in the third and fifth with RBI singles, but FHSU extended its lead back to six runs in the sixth with a sacrifice fly RBI by Boxberger and an RBI single by Jurgensen. Missouri Southern had a pair of unearned runs cross the plate in the seventh, benefitting from a Tiger error to open the inning, but it was too little, too late.
Michaelanne Nelson picked up the win for FHSU by going 4.0 innings in the circle, moving to 3-4 on the season. She allowed four hits and a walk, while striking out four. Megan Jamison logged two innings and allowed three runs (one earned) before turning the ball over to Hailey Chapman for the final three outs.
Game 2: Fort Hays State 8, Missouri Southern 2
The second game was very similar to the first in the pattern of runs scored. FHSU scored the first six runs of the game before MSSU countered with two, and then FHSU pushed the lead back to six with a pair of runs late.
The Tigers scored four in the first inning, thanks to a two-RBI double by Bailey Boxberger and then a two-run homer by Elise Capra. It was the third home run of the season for Capra, a laser shot over the left field wall.
In the fourth, Terran Caldwell picked up an RBI by drawing a bases-loaded walk. Katie Adler followed with an infield RBI single by deflected off a diving shortstop’s glove.
A two-run double was all Missouri Southern could counter with against Hailey Chapman, who threw well in a complete-game effort. Chapman allowed only three hits and struck out eight, moving to 5-4 on the season.
FHSU pushed the lead back to six in the sixth when Lily Sale had an RBI triple and Terran Caldwell knocked her in on a ground out.
Tiger Notes
–Elise Capra was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate in Game 2.
–Bailey Boxberger led the Tigers in RBIs for the day with 4.
-At least six Tiger batters had two RBIs on the day.
-The Tiger pitching staff produced a solid 1.00 WHIP in the doubleheader.
–Hailey Chapman threw her fourth complete game of the season.
Up Next
Fort Hays State hosts Pittsburg State in another MIAA doubleheader on Monday (Mar. 18). Start time is 12 pm at Tiger Stadium in Hays.