By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
The Fort Hays State baseball team avoided the series sweep with a 7-4 win over No. 4 ranked Missouri Southern on Sunday (April 2) at Larks Park. This win for the Tigers snapped a 17-game losing streak to the Lions going all the way back to 2017. The offense found early success at the plate to build the lead and a solid complete-game pitching effort by Cade Flaherty kept the Lions at bay. FHSU improved to 14-22 overall and 5-15 in conference action, while MSSU dropped to 27-8 overall and 16-4 in conference play.
Cade Flaherty took command on the mound early for the Tigers retiring the Lions in order in the first two innings, while collecting three strikeouts. The Tigers plated three runs on three hits and one Lion error in the bottom of the second to take the lead. Elliott Herrmann led off the inning with a double to the right center gap before Zane Knoxlaunched a towering home run to deep right center plating two runs. A throwing error by the MSSU third baseman allowed Zach Davis to reach second before Ed Scott brought him home on a single back up the middle.
The Lions manufactured a run in the third to get on the board, but the Tigers answered with three more runs in the home half. After a leadoff single from Isaiah Ural, the Tigers put together a two-out rally. Jenner Kehe singled up the middle before Davis smashed a ball into the left field wall for a double plating Ural and Kehe. Another MSSU miscue allowed the Tigers to load the bases and Davis would cross the plate on a wild pitch. The Lions found some life at the plate in the fifth scoring three runs on four hits and an errant throw by the Tigers. Joel Nieves would bring home the final run of the contest with an RBI single to left center in the bottom of the frame bringing the score to 7-4.
Flaherty (2-2) tossed his first career complete game in the win, the third by a Tiger pitcher this season. Over the final four innings, the sophomore held the Lions scoreless scattering a pair of hits and punching out four batters.
Ural finished the day 4-for-5 at the plate, while Knox and Davis each collected two RBI.
The Tigers go on the road on Tuesday (April 4) to play a single game at Rockhurst in Kansas City, Mo. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.
Saturday
Fort Hays State baseball fell 17-8 in the second game of its MIAA series with Missouri Southern at Larks Park on Saturday (April 1). The Tigers built some momentum early outscoring the Lions 8-2 over the first four innings, but 15 unanswered run over the remainder of the game pushed the Lions past the Tigers. The Lions improved to 27-7 overall and 16-3 in the MIAA, while the Tigers fell to 13-22 overall and 4-15 in conference play.
Jake Campbell escaped a jam in the opening frame leaving two runners stranded for the Lions. The Tigers took the lead immediately in their half as Ed Scott led off with a double down the left field line. A single to center by Trey DeGarmo brought Scott home and the Lions mishandled the ball in center field allowing DeGarmo to reach third on the error. An RBI single from Elliott Herrmann plated DeGarmo giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead after the first inning. Campbell retired MSSU in order in the following frame before a sacrifice fly from Scott plated Zach Davis, who led off the inning with a double to right center.
MSSU narrowed the lead to 3-2 in the third, but the Tigers answered with a three-run home half of the inning. Herrmann collected his second RBI of the day with a solo homer to straightaway center. Zane Knox had a single and Jenner Kehe drew a walk setting up an RBI single from Davis. Kehe crossed the plate on a double steal play to give the Tigers a 6-2 lead. Campbell retired the Lions in order once again in the fourth and the Tigers plated their final two runs of the game in the bottom of the inning. Isaiah Ural and Herrmann had back-to-back RBI singles.
The Lions cut the lead back to two in the fifth scoring four runs on five hits before taking the lead in the sixth on a two-out grand slam. From there, MSSU relievers Kyle Moore and Cale McCallister held the Tigers in check scattering six hits over the final five innings. The Lions scored two in the seventh, one in the eighth, and three in the ninth as they completed the comeback and secured the series win.
Campbell tossed 4.2 innings allowing six runs on 10 hits, while striking out three batters. Spencer Maley (0-2), who relieved Campbell at the end of the fifth, threw 1.1 innings allowing five runs on three hits and also punched out three batters. Daniel Bebee allowed two runs in an inning of work and Luuk ter Beek allowed four runs (three earned) over two innings. Herrmann had a great day at the plate going 4-for-5 with three RBIs and a home run.
Friday
With strong winds blowing out to left field, the Fort Hays State baseball team dropped a home run derby in its series opener against No. 4 Missouri Southern on Friday (March 31), 13-3. The teams combined to club 10 home runs on the day, with all but two runs in the contest coming off a long ball.
The Lions led 3-0 after home runs in both the first and second innings before Zach Davis pulled the Tigers within one with a bomb of his own. The left-handed hitting junior poked a 3-1 pitch sailing the opposite way into left field, with the wind helping propel it over the fence and inside the foul pole.
Missouri Southern responded with two more home runs in the third to lead 6-2 before starter Zach Berg (3-3) settled in to post zeros over the next three innings. Both teams clubbed solo shots in the seventh, including a drive to straightaway center off the bat of Zane Knox.
The visitors tacked on six runs against the Tiger bullpen, while the MSSU relievers kept the Tigers at bay to secure the victory.
Berg struck out seven batters over 7.0 innings of work, allowing seven runs on 10 hits and three walks. Knox was 3-for-4 at the plate with one RBI and two runs.