By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
MARYVILLE, Mo. – Fort Hays State picked up a split at Northwest Missouri State on Tuesday (Apr. 12). After struggling offensively in the first contest to a 6-0 loss, the Tigers came alive in the second game and ran away with an 11-3 run-rule win in six innings. FHSU moved to 18-23-1 overall on the season, 4-10 in the MIAA, while Northwest Missouri State moved to 8-33 overall, 2-14 in the MIAA.
Game 1: Northwest Missouri State 6, Fort Hays State 0
Fort Hays State struggled offensively in the first contest of the day with just three hits against Bearcat pitcher Breck Dickey. Though they managed five walks against Dickey, the Tigers could not find timely hitting when they needed it. FHSU had runners reach at least second base in four innings and third base in two innings. Dickey went on to throw a complete-game shutout with nine strikeouts.
The Bearcats scored their first four runs of the game on a pair of home runs. Abby Nolte hit a solo homer in the second and Madison Friest hit a 3-run homer in the third. Skylar Pieper and Jacee Winn added RBI singles in the fourth to complete the game’s scoring. All six runs were against Tiger starter Savanah Egger, who surrendered seven hits and a walk, while striking out five in 3.2 innings. Bailey Carlson held the Bearcats hitless the rest of the way and struck out one.
Jessica Espinoza, Madison Pierce, and Kiana Blake all had hits for the Tigers. Espinoza, Pierce, and Reese Curry all reached base twice.
Game 2: Fort Hays State 11, Northwest Missouri State 3
Getting the offensive struggles of game one behind them, the Tigers used four home runs in the second contest of the day to run away with an 11-3 run-rule win in six innings.
Kiana Blake started the home-run party for the Tigers in the first with a solo shot to center field. The game remained 1-0 until Reese Curry opened the floodgates in the top of the fourth with a 2-out grand slam to dead center. It was her first collegiate homer and pushed the lead to 5-0. The Tigers loaded the bases again with a pair of singles and a walk, which set up Madison Pierce for a two-RBI double to make it 7-0.
NWMSU picked up a run on a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth, but Sara Breckbill pushed the lead to eight in the fifth with her team-leading seventh homer of the season, a 2-run shot to right center. The Bearcats scored a pair in the fifth to avoid the run rule, but Pierce put it back in effect in the sixth with her sixth long ball of the season, pushing the FHSU lead back to eight at 11-3. That capped a 4-for-4 game at the plate for Pierce, who finished 5-for-6 for the day between the two games. Blake, Jessica Espinoza, and Elise Capra all finished with two hits in the second contest. The Tigers had 15 hits as a team in game two, their best in MIAA play so far this season, and just one shy of their season high.
Morgan Schmidt threw a complete-game for the Tigers, mowing down a season-high 12 batters by strikeout. She kept the Bearcats scoreless through the first three innings to allow the Tiger offense enough time to blow the game open in the fourth. She had nine strikeouts through the first four innings, which included three punch outs in both the second and fourth innings.
Raven Defrain was responsible for the first five runs allowed to FHSU in 3.2 innings of work. Hayden Simmons surrendered the last six runs in 2.1 innings of work.
The Tigers are back at home this weekend looking to make up ground in the MIAA standings when they host Central Missouri on Friday (Apr. 15) and Lincoln on Saturday (Apr. 16).