By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Fort Hays State baseball team dropped a back-and-forth battle in Saturday’s series finale against Northeastern State, 7-6 (April 3). The Tigers led 3-1 and later 6-4, but the RiverHawks scored the final three runs to steal the victory.
The Tigers took the lead just one batter into the game when Drake Angeron sent a sharp grounder just inside first base and into the right-field corner. The right fielder legged out a triple before coming into score on an errant throw, giving FHSU a quick 1-0 lead. Jacob Bouzide followed with a single before Grant Schmidt worked a walk. Ed Scott doubled the lead two batters later with a single to right, driving in Schmidt.
The RiverHawks got one run back in the bottom of the first before the Tigers stretched their lead to 3-1 in the top of the third when Kade Wallace sent a two-out home run soaring over the fence in left center, his third long ball of the season.
Northeastern State took its first lead at 4-3 after a three-run home run in the bottom of the third, but Fort Hays State responded with three runs of its own in the fourth. Garrett Stephens led off with a walk before Corbin Truslow singled to right. Traelon Yarbrough followed with a double to center, driving in Stephens and tying the score at four.
Angeron drove in the go-ahead run with an infield single up the middle, plating Truslow. Yarbrough came around to score on a fielder’s choice from Schmidt, giving the Tigers a 6-4 lead. Northeastern State pulled within one with a single run in the home half of the fourth before the score held steady at 6-5 until the seventh inning, when NSU went back on top with a pair of runs.
The Tigers had the tying run on base in both the eighth and ninth innings, but RiverHawk pitcher Dakodah Jones capped off five scoreless innings of relief to secure the win.
Padraic Walsh tossed five innings in his first start of the season, allowing five runs on six hits while striking out five batters. Jacob Ensz (0-3) took the loss after giving up two runs (one earned) over 1.2 innings of work. Jake Steinbring tossed a hitless final 1.1 innings, surrendering just two walks.
Yarbrough finished the day 2-for-3 with a double, one RBI and one run. Angeron also collected two of FHSU’s nine base hits.
The Tigers will continue their road trip next weekend when they head to St. Joseph, Mo. to take on Missouri Western. The Tigers and Griffons will open the series with a single game on Friday (April 9) at 5 p.m. before wrapping things up with a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
Friday
The Fort Hays State baseball team dropped both games of a doubleheader to Northeastern State Friday (Apr. 2) on the road. The Tigers collected three runs on eight hits in a 13-3 loss in game one before picking up four runs on four hits in an 8-4 game two defeat.
Game One: Northeastern State 13, Fort Hays State 3
The Tigers started off game one of the series well thanks to the bat of Grant Schmidt. Schmidt homered to center field in the top of the first to give Fort Hays the early 1-0 lead. From then on, Northeastern State tacked on five runs to take a 5-1 lead in to the sixth inning. A pair of RBI singles from Corbin Truslow in the sixth and Tyler Olson in the seventh kept things interesting as the Tigers found themselves down only two runs entering the bottom of the seventh inning. The RiverHawks exploded for eight runs on five hits in their half of the seventh inning to put the Tigers away for good in game one.
Jake Campbell (2-3) was unfortunately tabbed with the loss after a solid outing. Campbell allowed just three earned runs in five innings of work while striking out four RiverHawk batters. Schmidt finished game one 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored.
Game Two: Northeastern State 8, Fort Hays State 4
In the second game of a double header, Northeastern State got on the board first and never looked back. The RiverHawks were able to build a seven run lead before FHSU got on the board in the eighth.
The Tigers cut the NSU lead down to three with four runs on four walks and two bean balls in the eighth inning. Ed Scott put the first Tiger run on the board with a bases loaded hit-by-pitch that allowed Corbin Truslow to advance home. Garrett Stephens and Drake Angeron drew back-to-back walks with the bases loaded to score two more runs. Jason Robertson entered the game as a pinch hitter after Angeron’s walk and was able to keep the line moving with an RBI groundout to second base. Though Fort Hays trimmed the deficit down to 7-4, the lead was too much to overcome as the RiverHawks added another run in the bottom of the eighth and taking game two of the day.
Ryan Ruder (0-4) was credited with the loss after throwing four innings and allowing six runs. Hunter Parker came on in the fifth and ate up most of the remaining innings with 3.1 innings of relief. Parker allowed just two runs on four hits and sat down three NSU batters via strikeout.