By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
The Fort Hays State baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader against CSU-Pueblo Saturday (Feb. 22). The bats fell silent in game one, with FHSU collecting just three hits before pushing across two runs on six hits in game two.
The Tigers (10-5) and ThunderWolves (5-4) will wrap up the series on Sunday with the weekend finale beginning at noon at Larks Park.
Game One: CSU-Pueblo 4, Fort Hays State 0
Fort Hays State struggled to get going offensively as they could only muster three hits on singles from Garrett Stephens, Jared Maneth and Griffin Brunson. CSU-Pueblo’s starting pitcher Brett Matthews did not allow a runner past second, striking out 12 batters over six scoreless innings.
The ThunderWolves broke through with its first two runs of the weekend in the third inning before adding insurance runs in the fifth and seventh innings.
Padraic Walsh (1-2) suffered the loss after allowing three runs on nine hits over five innings. Brayden Smith came on to allow one unearned run in 1.2 innings of relief before Dylan Hamilton came out of the pen to record the final out for the Tigers.
Game Two: CSU-Pueblo 6, Fort Hays State 2
The ThunderWolves struck first again in game two with a third-inning home run from Ty Lewis. CSU-Pueblo later built its lead to 6-0 before the Tigers started to battle back in the sixth.
Fort Hays State got on the board in the bottom of the sixth after singles from Griffin Brunson and Corbin Truslow. A walk to Jaxson Webb later in the inning loaded the bases with two outs for Tyler Olson, who took a pitch to the back to score a run. Pueblo escaped the inning without any further damage after a strikeout retired the side.
The Tigers made things interesting with a two-out rally in the seventh inning, but FHSU left the tying run in the on-deck circle. Down to their final out, Brunson kept the game alive with doubled to left center. Grant Schmidt then reached on a throwing error, allowing Brunson to score from second. Truslow worked a walk in the following at bat to keep the run going before the ThunderWolves finished off the win with a flyout.
Cole Zimmerman (0-2) was credited with the loss after surrendering five runs (three earned) on five hits over four innings. Cade Flaherty came in relief and threw an inning and a third, allowing one run on two hits. Ryan Brown recorded two outs, including one strikeout, in the sixth before Tanner Lukowski retired the side in order in the seventh.
Brunson collected two hits and scored both Tiger runs, while Schmidt was 2-for-4 with two doubles.