By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
The Fort Hays State baseball team earned their third win of the season after doubling up Northwestern Oklahoma State on Wednesday (March 27), 8-4, with an offensive explosion of 14 hits in the contest. The Tigers improved to 3-21 overall, while the Rangers moved to 17-13 on the season.
The Tiger offense produced eight runs on 14 hits with seven RBI in the contest. Tyler Olson led the way with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate, scoring two runs and adding fourth RBI of the season. Marcus Altman also had a good day at the dish after belting his first home run of the season, scoring two runs and producing three RBI. Dawson Sramek and Ryan Grasser also earned multi-hit bids on the afterno on.
FHSU starter Jake Taylor tossed 5.1 innings, allowing four runs, seven hits and walking two batters. Taylor also stuck out two Ranger hitters. Ryan Brown (1-0) came on in relief and earned the victory with a scoreless 3.2 innings of work, allowing only one hit and striking out three hitters.
Northwestern Oklahoma State grabbed a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning after poking an RBI double and a 2-run blast to left field. The Tigers were able to get a run back in the home half when Marcus McDaniel ripped an RBI single through the right side of the infield, scoring Olson from second base.
The third inning saw the Tigers pick up three more runs to take a 4-3 lead, all with two outs. First, Grasser earned a walk. Then, Jared Haynes pushed Grasser to second after poking a single through the left side. Altman picked up his first hit of the game with a 2 RBI double to center field. Altman then scored when Olson placed a ball through the left side of the infield.
Two frames passed by and nothing happened for either side. NWOSU pushed across a run in the top of the sixth to tie the game back up, 4-4. However, the Tiger offense struck again with two runs in the home half when Altman lifted a fly ball over the left field wall for his first home run of the season and Jordan Wilkerson reached on an error, plating McDaniel.
Brown shut down the Rangers in the final three innings and the Tigers added two more insurance runs in the eighth after Wilkerson earned an RBI single through the left side and Grasser was beaned by pitch with the bases juiced, scoring Wilkerson from third.
FHSU will be back in action this weekend when they take on Lindenwood for the first MIAA series in Hays. The Tigers and Lions are slated to battle it out on Saturday (March 30) at 1 p.m. from Larks Park.