By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
EDMOND, Okla. – Fort Hays State Softball picked up its first postseason play win since the 2014 season on Wednesday evening at Gerry Pinkston Stadium. The No. 10 seeded Tigers won a tight battle 2-1 over the No. 7 seeded Griffons of Missouri Western to improve to 27-24 overall. The Tigers moved on to Thursday night’s quarterfinal game against No. 2 seed Pittsburg State. Missouri Western closed its season at 31-20 overall.
The Tigers snapped their 10-game losing skid in MIAA Tournament games behind a strong pitching effort from Savanah Egger, who allowed only one run on three hits. She had a shutout going through the first five innings with just one hit allowed before the Griffons generated a run off a pair of hits in the sixth. Egger buckled down in a high leverage moment and got a big strikeout to avoid any further damage, keeping the Tigers on top by one.
The Tigers built a 2-0 lead for Egger, which proved to be enough to collect her 15th win and 21st complete game of the season. FHSU came out of the gate with a run in the first inning, thanks to back-to-back singles by Carly Stuke and Peyton Shepard to open the game. Alondra Dominguez drove in the first run of the game with an RBI double, scoring Stuke. An error by the Griffons in the fifth inning led to another run for the Tigers when Loren Beggs knocked in Shepard with an RBI single.
A big call provided some tense moments in the Griffons sixth. They had a pair of hits to open the inning and then scored their only run on an obstruction call at home plate. The throw took Madison Pierce into the runner’s path, but the decision stood after review. Egger nailed down the final two outs of the inning with a flyout and then a big swinging strikeout to avoid any further damage. Egger retired the side in order in the seventh to slam the door shut on the Griffons, including one of her five strikeouts in the game
Fort Hays State outhit Missouri Western 8-3 in the game. Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson led the Tigers with two hits.
Sydney Rader also threw a complete game for the Griffons, finishing with six strikeouts to go with her one earned run allowed.
Fort Hays State faces Pittsburg State in the quarterfinals on Thursday night (March 2) at 6:30 p.m. It will be the fourth quarterfinal game of the day at Gerry Pinkston Stadium in Edmond.