By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
TOPEKA, Kan. – The Fort Hays State baseball team scored a season-high nine runs in a 14-9 road loss to Washburn Monday afternoon (Feb. 28). The Tigers scored all their runs in the final four innings, but a 13-0 Ichabod lead proved too much to overcome.
The Ichabods manufactured two runs in the first before adding a third in the third. Starter Jake Campbell (0-4) worked out of a jam in the second, getting a strikeout and a line out after the Ichabods had men on second and third with one out. Cole Zimmerman then came on to pitch, retiring the side in order on nine pitches in the fourth. Washburn then opened things up with 10 runs on seven hits in the fifth.
The Tigers got on the board in the sixth when Grant Schmidt led off with a double. The senior later scored on a wild pitch. FHSU kept things rolling in the seventh when Jason Robertson worked a pinch-hit walk. Another walk to Jenner Kehe brought up Ridge Stephens, who singled to right center to drive in a run. Two more runs came in to score on a single off the bat of Schmidt that rolled all the way to the fence in center after a misplay by the Ichabod fielder.
Fort Hays State then doubled its run total in the eighth, closing within 13-8 after three hits and two walks. Traelon Yarbough led off with a single before an unsuccessful fielder’s choice and another walk to Robertson loaded the bases. Kehe drove in a run with a fielder’s choice to third before Ed Scott drove in a pair of runs with a single through the right side. Schmidt followed with his fourth hit of the day, scoring Kehe and pulling the Tigers within five.
The Tigers pushed across one final run in the ninth on an RBI infield single from Kehe that scored Spencer Davidson, but the Ichabod bullpen sealed the win with one final fly out.
Schmidt was 4-for-5 on the day, the most hits in a game for a Tiger this season, while Scott added two base knocks. The Ichabods accumulated 15 base hits while recording three errors in the field.
Campbell allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks over 3.0 innings of work before Zimmerman was charged with five runs on three hits over 1.0+ frames. Padraic Walsh did not allow a run in 0.2 innings of work before Jacob Ensz tossed two scoreless innings, giving up just one hit.
The Tigers will return to Larks Park next weekend to host Emporia State in a three-game conference series, scheduled to begin Friday (March 4) at 3 p.m.