By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Fort Hays State baseball team dropped its series opener with Central Missouri Friday evening (April 26), 8-1. The Tigers (3-35, 2-26) had base runners in six innings, but the Mules (30-12, 20-8) ended three of those innings with double plays.
Ethan Booe (0-10) put together another quality start, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out two over 6.2 innings of work. The Tigers could not solve UCM starter Ben Kelsch, who tossed a complete game while allowing one unearned run on four hits and six strikeouts.
After falling behind 2-0 on a two-out home run in the fourth inning, the Tigers cut the deficit in half with a run in the sixth frame. Cody Starkel punched a single through the right side before advancing all the way to third when the ball slid past the right fielder. Jared Maneth brought him in to score three pitches later when he sent a sacrifice fly to right.
The Mules tacked on another run off Booe in the seventh before he the Tigers went to the bullpen with the bases loaded. Ryan Brown got out of that jam before allowing five runs on six hits in the eighth.
Starkel finished the game 2-for-3 while Caleb Egan reached base three times with a single, a walk and a hit by pitch.
The Tigers will look to level the series when they face off with UCM in game two Saturday at 2 p.m