By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
The Fort Hays State softball team split a doubleheader with Missouri Western on Sunday (March 9), falling in the opener 8-0 before taking the second contest 4-1. The Tigers are now 11-5 overall and 3-1 in MIAA action while the Griffons move to 12-7 on the year and 1-1 in conference play.
Paige Thexton and Morgan Schmidt carried the Tigers in the nightcap, with Thexton driving in all four FHSU runs including a three-run home run while Schmidt tossed another complete game to earn the win. Jules Boscohad three hits on the day while reaching base a total of five times.
Next up for the Tigers is eight-straight non-conference matchups starting Tuesday (March 11, 1 p.m./noon MT) when FHSU heads to Colorado Springs, Colo. to take on UC-Colorado Springs.
Game 1 – Missouri Western 8, Fort Hays State 0
Missouri Western’s Sydney Rader controlled the opener, allowing just three hits and issuing two walks in a complete-game shutout. The Griffons broke through with four runs on three hits in the second before adding one run in the third and three more in the seventh.
Trailing 5-0 in the bottom of the sixth, the Tigers had their best chance to score with the bases loaded and only one out. But Rader was able to get out of the jam with two strikeouts to maintain the shutout.
Bosco reached base three times, singling, drawing one walk and reaching on an error. Lexi Mohr and Madison Pierce also picked up singles in the opener.
Savanah Egger (5-3) took the loss after allowing six runs on seven hits over 6.0-plus innings of work, striking out four. Korryn Johnson came on to finish the game, allowing two more runs to score.
Game 2 – Fort Hays State 4, Missouri Western 1
Fort Hays State shook off the loss in the second contest thanks in large part to Schmidt and Thexton. Schmidt puzzled the Griffon bats all game, scattering four hits and two walks while allowing one run and striking out seven in a complete game. She did not allow more than two baserunners in any inning.
The home team pushed its first run across in the bottom of the second after Lexi Mohr doubled to left center. Thexton later delivered a two-out single to right, driving in Mohr and giving FHSU a 1-0 lead.
Thexton then delivered another clutch two-out hit in the home half of the fourth when she crushed her first home run of the season, driving in three runs. Pierce had led off the inning with a double before Regan Currylegged out a bunt single. The next two Tiger hitters were retired, but Thexton was able to come through when she drilled a 3-2 pitch soaring over the fence in left field.
The Griffons responded with two base hits in the top of the fifth, scoring to close within 4-1, before Schmidt (6-2) retired eight in a row to close out the win.
Thexton was 2-for-2 with four RBI and one run, while Bosco also collected two hits.
Saturday
The Fort Hays State softball team opened conference play Saturday (March 8) with a pair of come-from-behind wins over Central Missouri, winning the opener 6-5 in walk-off fashion before taking the second contest 5-4. The Tigers improve to 10-4 overall and 2-0 in league play, while the Jennies are now 8-8 overall and 0-2 in MIAA action.
Savanah Egger and Morgan Schmidt both tossed complete game victories on the day, combining to strike out 18 batters while FHSU hitters struck out just eight times.
Jules Bosco and Madison Pierce both collected three hits on the day while Marisela Landa drove in a team-high three RBI.
Game 1 – Fort Hays State 6, Central Missouri 5
The Jennies opened the scoring with a three-run home run in the second, but FHSU quickly got one of those runs back when Lilly Mohr drilled a solo home run to left field.
Egger bounced back after the home run, retiring 13 of the next 15 batters to give the Tiger bats a chance to cut into the Jennie lead. Fort Hays State did just that with three unearned runs in the fourth inning. The frame was extended when an out call at second base was overturned via a coaches challenge. An error later gave Abbey Duarte the chance to make it 3-2 with an RBI groundout before Landa gave the Tigers the lead with a two-RBI single to left.
The Tigers added another run in the fifth thanks to doubles from Audrey Gillespie and Paige Thexton, putting the home team in front 5-3.
Down to their last out, the Jennies mounted a rally in the seventh with a double, a single and a walk. With the bases loaded, Egger got a fly ball to center but it was dropped by the Tiger fielder, allowing the Jennies to the game at five with two unearned runs.
Fort Hays State manufactured the winning run in the home half of the inning with two singles and a sacrifice bunt. UCM’s Andi Siebeneck seemed to get out of the inning with a routine grounder to short, but it was also misplayed by the Jennie defender, allowing FHSU to win on a walk-off error.
Egger (5-2) struck out eight batters over 7.0 innings of work, allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits and one walk.
Game 2 – Fort Hays State 5, Central Missouri 4
The visitors again struck first in the second contest, pushing across four runs on four hits in the top of the third. UCM’s Emily Brouse puzzled the Tiger hitters early on, allowing only one hit over the first four innings.
Schmidt rebounded after the big inning, retiring 14 of the last 19 UCM hitters to keep the Tigers in the game.
The home team finally broke through in the fifth, plating four runs on three hits and a pair of walks to tie things up. Bosco got the Tigers on the board with a bases-loaded double down the right-field line, plating a pair to cut the deficit in half. Pierce followed with a two-out, two-RBI single to center, tying the game at four.
Fort Hays State took the lead for the first time in the sixth when Regan Curry led off with a single. The shortstop advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt before scampering home on a single from Landa, giving the Tigers a 5-4 lead.
The Jennies were able to get runners on the corners with one out in the seventh, but a pop up and a brilliant diving catch from Kaydawn Haag in center field secured the doubleheader sweep.
Schmidt (5-2) struck out 10 batters in her 7.0 innings of work, allowing four runs on nine hits and two walks.