By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
PIEDMONT and EDMOND, Okla. – Fort Hays State picked up a split in its two games on Sunday (Feb. 20) in Oklahoma. The Tigers came up just a run short in their first game of the day, falling 3-2 to Southern Arkansas, but a two-run home run by Sara Breckbill lifted the Tigers to a 4-2 win over Arkansas Tech in eight innings.
Southern Arkansas 3, Fort Hays State 2
The Tigers had run-scoring opportunities in several innings, but were only able to make good on their opportunity in the fifth by scoring a pair of runs. Southern Arkansas had slowly built a 3-0 lead by that point. FHSU had runners at first and third in the seventh with one out, but could not find a way to get the tying run across the plate from third.
Lindsey Kelly had a strong effort at the plate, going 4-for-4 all on singles. She scored one of Fort Hays State’s two runs in the fifth on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Loren Beggs. Regan Curry scored the other run in the inning on a passed ball. Both Curry and Kelly had singles to help start the run-scoring opportunity in the fifth.
Erika Flynn threw a complete game for the Tigers in the circle, scattering seven hits with two strikeouts. Kiana Pogroszewski picked up the win for SAU, throwing the first five innings. She allowed six hits and struck out five. Macie Welch threw the final two innings to pick up a save, striking out three.
Fort Hays State 4, Arkansas Tech 2 (8 inn.)
Savanah Egger and Bailey Buffington of Arkansas Tech engaged in a pitcher’s dual early. Arkansas Tech’s only offensive damage came in the bottom of the third inning when Tymber Riley popped a pitch high in the air down the left field line that kept fair for a two-run home run.
Buffington held the Tigers hitless and scoreless through four innings until Loren Beggs ended both trends with a solo home run to lead off the fifth. She went on to collect two more hits in the late going and finished with three in the game. The Tigers broke through once again in the sixth when Lindsey Kelly picked up her fifth hit of the day on a well-placed ball to the left side. She stole second and then Erika Flynn delivered in the clutch with an RBI single up the middle, tying the game 2-2.
The Tigers got runners to third and second in the seventh, but couldn’t push a go-ahead run across. Meanwhile, Egger remained up to the challenge in the pitcher’s circle retiring Arkansas Tech in order in the bottom half.
In the eighth, Jessica Espinoza triggered a run-scoring opportunity by drawing a walk and moving up to second on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Sara Breckbill completed the Tigers’ come-from-behind effort by driving a pitch over the left-center wall. That put the Tigers on top 4-2.
Egger nearly worked another 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the eighth, but a bloop single with two outs fell in center field. That did not rattle her as she got a ground out a batter later to end the game. Egger scattered eight hits in her complete-game winning effort and struck out eight. Buffington also threw the entire game for ATU, allowing six hits with eight strikeouts.
The win improved FHSU to 3-7 on the season. The Tigers will return to action on Monday (Feb. 21) with a pair of games at Tom Heath Field, home of Oklahoma Christian. FHSU is slated to face East Central at 12 pm, then Oklahoma Baptist at 2:15 pm. Live streaming will be available for both contests for a $10 24-hour pass on The Lone Star Conference Network.