By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Fort Hays State baseball team dropped game one against No. 2 Central Missouri Friday evening (March 22), 13-0. The Tigers (18-10, 6-8 MIAA) limited the best scoring offense in the country to two runs over the first four innings before the Mules (24-4, 12-2 MIAA) pushed across 11 runs in the final two innings of the contest.
Fort Hays State managed a pair of singles in the top of the first but were unable to score before the Mules manufactured their first run of the game in the home half of the inning. The Tigers put two men in scoring position with one out in the top of the second, but UCM got out of the inning with back-to-back strikeouts. The Mules then doubled their lead with a solo home run in the bottom of the second.
Tiger starter Ty Riley left one man on base in the third before working out of a two-on, one-out jam in the fourth to keep the score at 2-0. The Tiger bats were unable to take advantage, however, with the Mules sitting down 14 consecutive FHSU hitters.
Central Missouri took control in the fifth inning with seven runs, six of which were unearned, before scoring four more in the sixth. The Tigers had runners on second base in the sixth and seventh after doubles from Isaiah Ural and Trey DeGarmo, but FHSU was unable to push across a run in either frame.
Ural had two hits in the contest, with DeGarmo and Cesar Saavedra contributing the only other two hits for FHSU. Ty Riley (2-2) took the loss after allowing six runs, three of which were unearned, on five hits and four walks. He had three strikeouts in the game. Spencer Maley struck out two batters in 1.0 inning of relief.
The Tigers and Mules will resume the series Saturday afternoon (March 23) beginning at noon.