By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
Fort Hays State moved to 13-15 overall with a pair of run-rule wins over Bethany College on Sunday afternoon (Mar. 20) at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers took the opener in five innings by a score of 10-1, then walked off in the sixth inning with an 8-0 victory in game two.
Fort Hays State 10, Bethany 1
The Tigers scored in each of the first four innings to build a lead big enough for the run rule, and made it hold up after keeping the Swedes scoreless in the fifth.
Sara Breckbill opened the scoring for the Tigers in the first with a towering two-run home run to left field. In the second inning, Kiana Blake and Loren Beggs each had RBI singles and Breckbill added two more to her RBI total with a single. Beggs came in to score on a wild pitch later in the inning, and then the Tigers scored their only run of the third on a wild pitch as well. Blake added the runs necessary to put the run rule in play in the fourth with a two-RBI single. Breckbill finished with four RBIs, while Blake had three. Regan Curry was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate.
Savanah Egger battled some control issues in her start and went just 1.2 innings. She struck out four, but walked two and allowed two hits. Bethany’s only run was her responsibility in the second. Morgan Schmidt relieved to strike out six and allowed four hits and two walks in 3.1 innings of relief. She picked up the win moving to 4-3 on the season. Sasha Martello took the loss for Bethany, allowing the first seven runs (two earned) in two innings of work.
Fort Hays State 8, Bethany 0
The Tigers almost kept their trend of scoring in each inning alive in game two, but finally went scoreless in the fourth when already leading 6-0. FHSU scored twice in the first, three times in the second, then put up single runs in the third, fifth, and sixth innings to put the run rule on once again.
A Sara Breckbill sacrifice fly RBI and Sarah Tiffany RBI double in the first made it 2-0. Loren Beggs picked up an RBI on a fielder’s choice in the second and an extra run scored on the play by error. Tiffany added another RBI on a single making it 5-0.
In the third, Lindsey Kelly lined a pitch over the centerfielder’s head that went all the way to the wall. Kelly turned the jets on and wheeled all the way around for an inside-the-park home run, making it 6-0 after three innings. Jessica Espinoza made it 7-0 in the fifth with an RBI single, then Regan Curry got into the RBI act in the sixth, ending the game on an RBI single to center field.
Bailey Carlson threw a complete-game shutout in the circle, striking out six with three hits allowed and one walk. She is now 3-1 on the season. Bethany starter Ravin Moore took the loss in just two innings of work, allowing five runs (three earned).
The Tigers return to MIAA play next weekend at Nebraska-Kearney (Mar. 26) for a doubleheader starting at 1 pm.