By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
Despite getting things going offensively in the second game of the day, the Fort Hays State baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader Sunday afternoon (Feb. 6) against Colorado School of Mines. The Orediggers (3-0) used a strong start from All-Region pitcher Tyler Blomster to win 7-0 in the opener before holding off a late Tiger (0-3) run in the nightcap, 6-4.
Jenner Kehe picked up a team-high three hits on the day, while Jaxson Webb, Mason Holton and Griffin Brunson all added two hits for the Tigers.
The teams will wrap up the series with one final game on Monday (Feb. 6) beginning at 1 p.m. at Larks Park.
Game 1 – Colorado School of Mines 7, Fort Hays State 0
Kehe was the lone Tiger to solve Blomster in the opener, with the redshirt-freshmen collecting two hits and one walk. Brunson had the lone other hit for the Tigers, with Blomster retiring 13 of the 23 batters he faced via strikeout.
Jake Campbell matched the Oredigger ace for the first three innings, facing the minimum and giving up just one hit during the first time through the order. Mines started to push runs across in the fourth, scoring one in the fourth, one in the fifth, three in the sixth and two in the seventh.
Campbell (0-1) went 5.1 innings, striking out three and allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits. He did not walk a batter.
Game 2 – Colorado School of Mines 6, Fort Hays State 4
It was the exact opposite for the Mines bats in the second game, with the Orediggers getting to starting pitcher Sammy Sanchez early before the Tiger newcomer settled in after the first time through the order. Mines scored four runs on four hits in the first before adding single runs in the second and third frames to lead 6-0.
Fort Hays State started the comeback in the home half of the fourth when Mikey Felton and Kade Wallace were both hit by a pitch just three pitches into the inning. Webb made Mines starter Ben Schoneman pay for the mistake, crushing a 2-1 pitch to straightaway center to cut the deficit in half, 6-3. Mason Holton followed with a solo shot that scraped over the wall in right center for his first collegiate home run, driving Schoneman out of the game and making it a two-score contest.
Brunson, Kehe and Tico Olivas followed with three consecutive singles to load the bases, but Mines reliever Blake Ripp worked out of the jam with a flyout and two strikeouts.
The FHSU bullpen helped give the Tigers a chance to tie things up, with Zach Berg and Jacob Ensz combining to throw three hitless innings down the stretch. Offensively the Tigers had runners on base in two of the last three innings, but FHSU was unable to push across the tying run at any point.
Sanchez (0-1) ended up with six strikeouts in four innings of work after the shaky start. Berg struck out one batter in his inning of work, while Ensz tallied three strikeouts in his two innings of relief.
Saturday
The Fort Hays State baseball team dropped its
2022 opener against Colorado School of Mines on Saturday (Feb. 5) by a score of
13-4. The Tigers collected eight hits in the contest, but three FHSU errors and
three Mines home runs in the fourth inning pushed the Orediggers over the top.
Opening Day starter Conner
Kessler retired the side in order in the top of the first
before the first two batters reached for the Tigers, but the Orediggers escaped
the inning with a fielder’s choice and two popups.
Mines struck first with four runs in the second, just two of which were earned
after a pair of Tiger errors. The Tigers picked up just one more hit over the
next four innings, which allowed the Orediggers to go up 12-0 thanks to a
seven-run fourth inning.
The Tigers started to claw back with one run in the sixth before pushing across
three more in the seventh. Redshirt-freshman Jenner
Kehe picked up his second hit of the game with one out in the
sixth before a hit by pitch and a walk loaded the bases. Kehe scampered home
later in the inning on a wild pitch.
Ed
Scott then opened the seventh with a walk before Jaxson
Webb extended the inning with a single to left center. Kehe
drove in a run with a single to center before pinch hitter Joey
Olson worked a walk, loading the bases for returning All-MIAA
honoree Grant
Schmidt. The senior came through with a two-run single to
center, helping the Tigers close within 12-4. Ridge
Stephens followed with another single, but the final out was
recorded at third base to end the inning.
Fort Hays State managed to get runners on base in each of the final two
innings, but the Mines pitching staff kept the Tigers at bay to seal the win.
Mines starter Kevin Zapanta (1-0) went 6.1 innings, totaling six strikeouts and
allowing four hits. Kessler (0-1) took the loss after giving up eight runs (six
earned) on six hits over 3.1 innings of work. Tanner
Lukowski gave up just one unearned run in two innings of
relief while striking out two.
Kehe finished the game with three of FHSU’s eight hits, going 3-for-5 with two
runs and one RBI. Webb was 2-for-4 with one run while Schmidt led the way with
two RBI.