By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Fort Hays State baseball team jumped in front of the second-ranked team in the country for a second day in a row, but conference champion Central Missouri battled back to defeat the Tigers in game two of their MIAA Championship quarterfinal series on Saturday, 14-4. With the win, the Mules (45-6) advance to the semifinals of the conference tournament next week in Pittsburg, Kan., while the Tigers wrap up the regular season at 25-26 overall.
Fort Hays State was playing in the postseason for the first time since 2013, while the Tigers’ 25 wins are their most in a season in a dozen years (29 wins in 2012). Second-year head coach Justin Wichert has now led the team to back-to-back 20-win seasons, a feat not accomplished by FHSU in more than a decade.
Both the Tigers and Mules had chances to score in the first inning, but the Tigers were unable to take advantage of a two-on, one-out situation while the Mules wasted a two-out triple. Fort Hays State broke through in the top of the second when Sebastian Burgos opened a rally with a one-out single. Luis Ayalafollowed with a single to right center, allowing Burgos to advance to third. Jamison Armstrong then executed on a safety squeeze, laying down a perfect bunt to drive his fellow middle infielder home.
Tiger starter Trevor Baugh worked around a double in the second inning to post another zero before FHSU added to its lead in the third. Cesar Saavedra led off with a single before Brady Kreutzer mashed a one-out home run over the wall in left field, putting the Tigers on top 3-0 for a second game in a row.
The first two batters reached for UCM in the bottom of the inning, but Baugh was able to post another scoreless frame after a flyout, a groundout and some help from Ayala behind the plate on a caught stealing.
The Tigers stranded another runner in the top of the fourth before UCM got on the board in the home half of the inning thanks to a triple and sacrifice fly. FHSU then went down in order before the Mules took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth courtesy of back-to-back home runs. Spencer Maley came out of the bullpen to strike out the side while allowing one base hit, limiting the damage to four runs.
Trailing 5-3, Fort Hays State battled back with a run in the top of the sixth. Trey DeGarmo reached on a leadoff error before scoring from second on another Ayala single. Armstrong then reached on another error, putting two men in scoring position with one out. MIAA Pitcher of the Year Conner Wolf escaped the jam with back-to-back strikeouts, maintaining a 5-4 Mule lead.
Central Missouri continued to pour things on, adding three runs in the bottom of the sixth, two in the seventh and four in the eighth to complete the run-rule victory.
Baugh (3-3) struck out three batters over 4.0 innings of work, allowing five runs on seven hits and two walks. Spencer Maley struck out three and allowed two unearned runs on two hits. Rafael Espinoza, Tanner Vaughn, Landyn Sterling and Dylan Rinker also contributed out of the bullpen, with Vaughn and Sterling each striking out one batter.
Saavedra and Ayala both collected two hits in the game, with Kreutzer, Elliott Herrmann and Burgos all adding one base hit. Kreutzer had two RBI on his 12th home run of the season, while Ayala and Armstrong both drove in one RBI.
Friday
WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Fort Hays State baseball team took an early 3-0 lead in its first postseason game in 11 seasons, but conference champion and second-ranked Central Missouri scored the final five runs to take game one of the MIAA Championship quarterfinal series Friday evening (May 3), 5-3. The Tigers (25-25) scored three runs in the fourth inning before the Mules (44-6) answered back with three runs in the bottom of the inning and two more in the fifth before hanging on for the win.
Fort Hays State went down in order in the top of the first before starting pitcher Ty Riley issued a pair of walks in the bottom of the inning. The righty got out of the jam with two strikeouts and a ground ball before facing the minimum in the second and third innings.
After the first nine Tiger batters were retired, Cesar Saavedra got on thanks to a walk to start the second time through the order. Brady Kreutzer followed and delivered on a perfectly executed hit and run, sending a double into right center that allowed Saavedra to score from first. After UCM went to the bullpen, Isaiah Uraltripled the lead four pitches later on a 2-1 pitch, putting the Tigers in front 3-0 and extending his hitting streak to 15 games.
Central Missouri collected its first hit of the game with a leadoff single in the bottom of the inning, followed by another single, a triple and a sacrifice fly to tie things up at 3-3. The Mules’ first two batters reached base safely in the fifth, but Riley was close to getting out of the inning with back-to-back fly balls. The next batter reached on an error, allowing a run to score before UCM executed a double steal to push the lead to 5-3.
Saavedra singled to lead off the sixth but was later thrown out attempting to take an extra base. Riley sat down the Mules in order in the bottom of the inning before Tanner Vaughn retired six of the seven batters he faced in two innings of relief.
Jamison Armstrong singled with two outs in the top of the eighth, but FHSU was unable to push across a run before going down in order in the ninth.
Riley (4-3) took the loss after surrendering five runs (three earned) on four hits and three walks while striking out three batters in 6.0 innings of work. Vaughn struck out two in his 2.0 innings of relief, with just one batter reaching via error. Five UCM pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts.