By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Fort Hays State Softball picked up a split in its doubleheader with UC-Colorado Springs on Tuesday (Mar. 11). The Tigers fell in the first contest 8-0 before bouncing back for a 5-1 win in the second. FHSU moved to 12-6 overall on the season with the results, while they stopped a nine-game winning streak for UCCS, which is now 16-10 overall.
UC-Colorado Springs 8, Fort Hays State 0 (5 inn.)
The Tigers struggled to get anything going offensively against Kailey Bond, scratching out just two hits in a contest that ended by run rule. Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson and Kaydawn Haag were the only Tigers to record hits, both singles.
The Mountain Lions generated their first three runs of the game in the first off five-straight hits. A double and single produced the first run, then three more singles in a row culminated in another pair of runs scoring. Another two-out RBI single in the second inning produced the fourth run of the game.
An RBI triple in the fifth resulted in the end of Savanah Egger’s outing in the pitching circle. Kylie Caspersenentered in relief and allowed a walk and then a three-run home run by Halley Redd that ended the game by run rule. Egger allowed six runs on 10 hits in 4.1 innings of work, while Caspersen allowed two runs against the two batters she faced.
Redd finished with five RBIs in the game for UCCS. Bond threw a complete game shutout and struck out five.
Fort Hays State 5, UC-Colorado Springs 1
The Tiger bats came to life in game two against UCCS pitcher Lauren Falk. After the teams played to a scoreless tie through three innings, the Tigers scored all five of their runs during Falk’s 3.1 innings of relief work.
A Lilly Mohr single helped start a two-run fourth inning for the Tigers. Paige Thexton pinch ran, stole a base, then came in to score on a Regan Curry RBI single. A pair of wild pitches helped generate the second run. UCCS sliced the lead in half with a solo home run by Gianna Pancost in the bottom of the fourth.
In the seventh Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson singled and Lilly Mohr doubled to set up a two-RBI double by Abbey Duarte. Regan Curry followed with another RBI double to make it 5-1 in favor of the Tigers.
Morgan Schmidt had another strong outing for the Tigers, striking out 10 batters in a complete-game effort. She allowed just four hits and walked one. Schmidt moved to 7-2 on the season with the win.
Fort Hays State will be at Mountain Lion Field again on Wednesday (Mar. 12) when they take on Adams State University in a doubleheader. Live stream and stats will be available.