By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
The Fort Hays State baseball team dropped a midweek conference contest to the Newman Jets Wednesday afternoon (March 27) at Larks Park by a score of 6-4. The Jets led 6-1 in the fifth before the Tigers closed within two runs, but FHSU was unable to complete the comeback despite having the tying run at bat or on base in each of the last three innings.
The visitors struck first with a two-run home run in the top of the first before Tiger starter Dylan Rinker settled in to retire seven batters in a row. FHSU closed within 2-1 by scoring an unearned run on a passed ball before Newman pushed across two more runs in the fourth to take a 4-1 lead.
The Jets pushed the lead to 6-1 in the top of the fifth before the Tigers began to chip away in the bottom of the inning. Luis Ayala opened the rally with a single before Cesar Saavedra and Brady Kreutzer both followed with two-out base hits, the latter of which drove in Saavedra to pull the Tigers within 6-2.
Tiger reliever Tanner Vaughn did all he could to keep the home team in the game, allowing just one hit in 6.0 innings of relief while allowing two runs and striking out five batters. The Tiger bats closed within two after the seventh inning stretch when Ayala again led off with a single. Kreutzer started another two-out rally by drawing a walk before Isaiah Ural drilled a double off the wall down the left-field line, plating one run. Zane Knox later worked a bases-loaded walk to drive in another run before the Jets got out of the jam with a diving play by the shortstop.
Ayala singled again in the eighth but was left on base and the Tigers had two baserunners on in the ninth, but the Newman relievers did just enough to secure the win.
Fort Hays State outhit the Jets by five, 9-4. Ayala was 3-for-3 with one run scored. Ural had two base hits and added one RBI. Rinker (5-2) took the loss after allowing four runs on three hits and three walks in 3.0 innings of work.
The Tigers will continue a seven-game homestand on Thursday (March 28) when FHSU opens a three-game set against Missouri Western beginning at 5 p.m.