By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
A big first inning was not enough for the Fort Hays State baseball team Sunday afternoon (Feb. 20), with the Regis Rangers taking the series finale, 13-3.
The Tigers (1-11) got off to a good start offensively, collecting three hits in the first inning and five total through three frames before finishing the contest with two more hits over the final six innings. The Rangers (6-7-1) put together two big innings to complete the come-from-behind win.
After giving up a run on a two-out rally in the top half of the first, Fort Hays State quickly regained control by scoring three runs just six pitches into the bottom of the inning. Jenner Kehe led off with a double to right before Ed Scott drove him in with a single up the middle, tying the score at 1-1. Grant Schmidt followed with a first-pitch home run to straightaway center, plating Scott and giving the Tigers a 3-1 lead.
Tiger starter Cole Zimmerman (0-1) retired the side in order in the second before Regis pushed across four runs, two of which were unearned, in the third. The Hays native worked around a bunt single in the fourth before FHSU went to the bullpen in the fifth inning. Zach Berg tossed three scoreless innings, giving up just one hit while striking out three batters.
After nine consecutive Tigers were retired across the middle innings, Fort Hays State picked up baserunners in each of the final four frames but were unable to manufacture any runs.
Kehe and Scott both had multi-hit days, with Schmidt, Traelon Yarbrough and Joey Olson all picking up one base hit.
The Tigers are scheduled to open conference play next weekend (Feb. 25-27) in Topeka with a three-game series against Washburn. First pitch in Friday’s series opener is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Saturday
The Fort Hays State baseball team picked up a split in Saturday’s doubleheader against Regis (Feb. 19), falling in the opener 8-4 before rallying for an 8-2 win in the nightcap.
Game 1 – Regis 8, Fort Hays State 4
Tiger starter Jake Campbell worked around two hits in the first before giving up three runs on four hits in the second. Regis added a fourth run with a solo home run in the third before Campbell faced the minimum in the fourth.
The Tiger offense struggled to solve Regis starter Dylan De Leon early on, collecting just two hits over the first four innings. Regis doubled its lead in the fifth with four runs on three hits and two Tiger errors before FHSU started to claw back in the home half of the inning.
Mason Holton worked a two-out walk before Conner Kessler drilled a line drive into the left-field corner. Holton sprinted home from first, forcing a throw that got away from the catcher and allowed Kessler to score.
The Tigers added two more runs in the sixth when a pitch hit Mikey Felton in the first plate appearance of the frame. Cade Flaherty drove him in with a triple to right two batters later before scoring himself on a pinch-hit double from Traelon Yarbrough.
Fort Hays State had two runners on in the seventh with only one out, but the Regis bullpen got out of the jam with a strikeout and a groundout, leaving the tying run in the on-deck circle.
Campbell (0-3) allowed four runs on eight hits over 4.0 innings of work while striking out a pair. Dustin Menard gave up one unearned run in 2.0 innings of work, while Espen Donaldson hurled a 1-2-3 inning in his Tiger debut with one strikeout.
Flaherty had two of FHSU’s six hits, going 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI. Regis collected 12 hits, while both teams committed two errors. The Tiger defense turned three double plays, giving FHSU an MIAA-high 10 on the year.
Game 2 – Fort Hays State 8, Regis 2
Starting pitcher Sammy Sanchez opened game two with a walk, but the runner was promptly retired with a perfect throw on an attempted steal from Ridge Stephens. The junior settled in after that, retiring eight of the next nine batters, including three strikeouts. Regis got another leadoff man on in the fourth, but Stephens caught him stealing as well.
The Tiger offense, meanwhile, got things going early with two runs in the first, one in the third and five in the fourth. Ed Scott worked a one-out walk before Grant Schmidt singled up the middle. Yarbrough followed with another clutch hit two batters later, doubling to left with two outs to drive in a pair.
Schmidt picked up another single up the middle in the third, this time driving in a run when Jenner Kehe scored from second.
The Tigers sent nine batters to the plate in the fourth, including a leadoff hit-by-pitch by Stephens. Kehe then worked a walk before Scott sent a single to right that was misplayed by the fielder, allowing two runs to score. Flaherty kept things rolling with a three-run home run to left field later in the inning, his first collegiate home run.
Regis got one run back in the fifth on two hits before Sanchez needed just six pitches to retire the side in order in the sixth. The Rangers scored again in the seventh before Dylan Hamilton came on to slam the door, striking out both batters he faced to seal the 8-2 win.
Sanchez (1-1) gave up two runs on seven hits and just one walk while striking out four batters over 6.1 innings of work. The Tigers had just five hits, but were granted nine free bases on walks and hit-by-pitches.
Kehe, Scott and Schmidt all scored two runs, with Schmidt finishing 2-for-2 with one walk.
Friday
The Fort Hays State baseball team outhit Regis Friday afternoon, 14-13, but four home runs and a late rally helped the Rangers steal the first of a four-game set at Larks Park (Feb. 18).
Regis jumped in front with a two-out solo shot in the top of the first before starter Hunter Parker retired the next six batters in order. The Rangers added three runs on two more long balls in the third inning before the Tiger offense struck back.
After collecting single hits in the first two innings, FHSU got things rolling in the third after a one-out double to center from Griffin Brunson. Jenner Kehe followed with a line-drive single right back up the middle, plating Brunson and helping the Tigers close within 4-1.
Parker settled in to face the minimum over the next three innings, retiring eight-straight batters after Mikey Felton and Kehe connected to catch a runner stealing in the top of the fourth.
The Tiger offense kept things rolling, pushing across two runs in the fourth before going on top with three more in the fifth. Grant Schmidt led off the home half of the fourth with a double down the left field line before Felton singled to right center. Mason Holton followed with a double off the wall in center, plating one and closing the gap to 4-2. Felton then came in to score following an RBI groundout from Kade Wallace.
Fort Hays State tied things up in the fifth when Kehe led off with another single back up the middle. Cade Flaherty followed with a pinch-hit double to right center, driving in Kehe to level the score at 4-4. But the Tigers weren’t done, with Scott following with a towering shot into the left-field corner that turned into an RBI triple. The center fielder came in to score two batters later on a sac fly from Jaxson Webb, giving the Tigers a 6-4 lead.
Regis regained the lead with a five-spot in the seventh inning thanks to six hits and two Tiger errors. The Rangers added three more runs in the final two innings, including two unearned runs after two more Tiger miscues.
The Tigers began to claw back in the ninth, but the tying run was left in the on-deck circle. Scott beat out an infield single before Schmidt hammered a double to center, driving in one run. Webb was hit by a pitch before pinch hitter Joey Olson beat out a grounder deep in the hole at first to load the bases. Traelon Yarbrough drove in a run with a fielder’s choice before Regis got out of the jam with another ground ball.
Parker (0-2) took the loss after giving up nine runs on nine hits and striking out four over 6.1 innings. Conner Kessler tossed the final 2.2 frames, giving up three runs (one earned) on five hits while striking out one. The Tigers did not walk a batter all afternoon.
Scott and Felton both collected three hits, with Kehe and Schmidt adding two each.