By FHSU Sports Information<\/b><\/p>\n
Photo courtesy FHSU SID<\/em><\/p>\n TOPEKA – The Fort Hays State baseball team rallied from a four-run deficit to take the lead in the sixth inning of Tuesday’s conference clash at Washburn (April 17), but the Ichabods rallied to steal the win at home, 9-5. The Tigers are now 13-27 on the year and 5-21 in conference action, while the Ichabods move to an identical 13-27 overall mark and 7-22 in MIAA play.<\/p>\n The Tigers outhit Washburn, 15-9, with all but one starter collecting at least one hit, but left a total of 10 runners on base. Addison Kaasch<\/a> collected four hits on the day, raising his batting average to .399 on the year, good for a spot in the top five in the conference.<\/p>\n The Black and Gold were unable to score off three hits in the first inning, leaving two men on base after a double play. Tiger starter Ryan Ruder<\/a> (4-6) set down the Ichabods in order in the opening frame with a pair of strikeouts before allowing four runs, three unearned, in the home half of the second.<\/p>\n Fort Hays State began its rally with two runs in the third inning. Dawson Sramek<\/a> opened the frame with a single to left center before moving up to third on a double down the left field line off the bat of Kaasch. Reigning MIAA Hitter of the Week Alex Weiss<\/a> came through with an RBI base knock to center before Ryan Grasser<\/a> drove in his fellow middle infielder with a single through the left side.<\/p>\n The Tigers closed within 5-3 when Clayton Basgall<\/a> ripped an RBI single to left, scoring Marcus Altman<\/a>.<\/p>\n In the meantime, Ruder was back to taming the Ichabod offense, facing the minimum yet again in the third, fourth and fifth innings. A pair of runners reached base during that stretch, but a double play started by the pitcher retired the first before Sramek, the catcher, gunned down another in an attempt to swipe second.<\/p>\n Fort Hays State manufactured a pair of runs in the sixth to take the lead after Cody Starkel<\/a> and Altman singled in back-to-back plate appearances to open the frame. After advancing on a sacrifice bunt, the pair came around to score when Basgall punched a two-RBI single back up the middle.<\/p>\n The Ichabods stole the lead right back in the bottom of the sixth, scoring all three runs off Ruder while chasing him from the game. Sam Capps<\/a> came on to escape the inning with the score 7-5, but a two-run home run in the seventh helped the home team double its advantage. Cody Rottinghaus<\/a> came on to complete the seventh while Alex Ruxlow<\/a> tossed in the eighth, both allowing only a walk. Sramek ended the home half of the eighth with his second caught stealing of the game.<\/p>\n After scoring all five runs on the Washburn starter, the Fort Hays State offense was unable to solve the WU bullpen, totaling just three hits over 3.2 innings.<\/p>\n Basgall collected three RBI on a pair of hits while Altman scored two runs. Weiss extended his multi-hit streak to six games, going 3-for-5 with an RBI.<\/p>\n Ruder finished with the only three strikeouts for the Tigers, pitching five-plus innings while allowing seven runs (four earned) on seven hits and just one walk.<\/p>\n The Tigers will return to conference play this weekend when they head to St. Charles, Mo. to take on Lindenwood in a three-game series. The opener is set for Friday at 6 p.m. from the Lou Brock Sports Complex.<\/p>\n *\u00a0 *\u00a0 *<\/p>\n