BY FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
EDMOND, Okla. – Fort Hays State Softball struggled to generate runs in its pair of games on Friday in Oklahoma at the Edmond Regional Softball Festival. The Tigers fell 8-1 in their first contest to 21st-ranked Texas A&M-Commerce before getting shutout 1-0 against Cameron. FHSU moved to 8-6 overall on the season.
Texas A&M-Commerce 8, Fort Hays State 1
The Lions used the power game at the plate to put up all eight of their runs. They opened the scoring in the first with a 2-RBI double to left center by pitcher Alyssa LeBlanc. The lead doubled in the third inning on a 2-run homer by Madison Schaefer.
LeBlanc held the Tigers hitless through 3.2 innings, but allowed her only run of the game on the Tigers’ only hit. After LeBlanc loaded the bases with a walk, hit batter, and another walk, Elise Capra pushed a single through the right side of the infield to plate a run. LeBlanc prevented any further damage by getting a weak grounder to end the Tiger threat. The Tigers only had one other batter reach base the remainder of the game, coming on an error in the seventh.
The Lions added four runs on another pair of two-run homers by Kinsie Hebler (5th inning) and Schaefer’s second of the game (7th inning).
Hailey Chapman allowed all eight runs in 6.1 innings of work, giving up seven hits and two walks. She struck out seven batters. Chapman is now 4-4 on the year. Mahealani Haegele pitched the final 0.2 innings.
LeBlanc struck out 11 Tigers in her complete-game one-hit outing, moving to 3-1 on the season.
Cameron 1, Fort Hays State 0
Fort Hays State struggled to move baserunners when it had opportunities in the second contest of the day. The Tigers scratched out five singles in the game, but never advanced a runner past second base.
Michaelanne Nelson allowed a double to open the bottom of the third inning and then a walk, which put two runners on with no outs. After a fielder’s choice cut down the lead runner at third, Nelson walked two straight batters that she had 0-2 counts on, which forced in the game’s only run. The first of the two walks was a seven-pitch at bat, while the second was a nine-pitch at bat with three foul balls.
The Tigers twice had their leadoff batter reach base, occurring in the third and sixth innings. A pop up by the second batter in the third and strikeouts from the second and third batters in the sixth kept runners from advancing into scoring position with less than two outs.
Nelson moved to 3-2 on the season with the loss, allowing five hits and three walks. Bethany Hines pitched the complete game shutout for Cameron with nine strikeouts, moving to 6-4 on the year. She did not allow a walk.
The Tigers face Midwestern State (Texas) and St. Mary’s (Texas) on Saturday. The game against Midwestern State will be at Central Oklahoma’s home field, scheduled for 12 pm, while the game against St. Mary’s is at Oklahoma Christian’s home field, scheduled for 6 pm.