Watch free live video of the Cardinals taking on the Marlins. First pitch at 1:05 p.m. CST.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592874458812.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div><div data-stn-player="00y99lfn"></div><script async type="text/javascript" src="https://embed.sendtonews.com/player3/embedcode.js?fk=00y99lfn"></script></div>Watch free live video of the Cardinals taking on the Marlins. First pitch at 1:05 p.m. CST.

Watch free: MLB Cardinals vs. Marlins, 1 p.m. CST

No. 3 seed Fort Hays State (24-7) vs. No. 6 seed Northwest Missouri State (23-7) Friday, March 15, 2024 • Noon Bethany, Okla. • Sawyer Center

Radio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video:&nbsp;NCAA Championships Pass:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/champs-pass?iid=cp_art_pr&amp;B=1012612">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>

The Fort Hays State women's basketball team will play in its ninth NCAA Division II Championship tournament this weekend when the third-seeded Tigers take on No. 6 Northwest Missouri State in the Central Region quarterfinals Friday (March 15). First tip between the conference rivals is slated for noon from the Sawyer Center on the campus of Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Okla.

This is Fort Hays State's eighth trip to the regional tournament in the last 10 years, more than any other school in the Central region during that span (UCM 6, ESU 6, PSU 6). This is the first time the Tigers have played as the No. 3 seed in the regional tournament. FHSU has been the top seed four times and has been seeded fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth once each.

The Tigers are 7-7 all-time in NCAA postseason play, including a 4-2 record in the quarterfinals, a 1-2 record in neutral site contests and a 1-4 record against other MIAA teams. This is FHSU's first postseason game in the state of Oklahoma. The Tigers are 6-4 in Kansas, 1-1 in South Dakota, 0-1 in Missouri and 0-1 in North Dakota.

Fort Hays State last played in the NCAA Tournament two years ago when the Tigers hosted the 2022 Central Regional inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. The Tigers reached the regional championship game for a third time in program history before falling to Missouri Western, 70-69.

Katie Wagner&nbsp;was named to the 2022 Central Region All-Tournament team after averaging 17.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists in the three games that year. For her career, Wagner averages 16.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists in four NCAA tournament games.

Wagner was named the Most Outstanding Player of the MIAA Championship after posting a pair of triple-doubles in Kansas City. She averaged 19.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.3 steals in the three games inside Municipal Auditorium. The Maize, Kan. native added the tournament honor to this year's trophy case that also includes MIAA Player of the Year, first team All-MIAA and MIAA All-Defensive Team honors.

With 944 career rebounds through the MIAA tournament, The Maize, Kan. native needs 17 rebounds to tie for second all-time at Fort Hays State. She is fourth all-time in points (1,693), tied for ninth all-time in steals (181), seventh in single-season points (530, 28 behind fifth) and tied for 10th in single-season steals (70).

Jessie Sallach&nbsp;has hit seven 3-pointers across the MIAA quarterfinals and semifinals. Going back to the regular season, Sallach hit nine in a three-game span and 11 across five games. For reference, the forward hit five 3-pointers in her first 115 games in a Tiger uniform before drilling 11 over the final three games of the regular season and the first two games of the MIAA tourney.

Sydney Golladayu&nbsp;scored a season-high 15 points in the MIAA title game, her eighth game scoring in double figures this season. With 250 career assists, the Fremont, Neb. native is seven assists shy of tying for sixth all-time at Fort Hays State.

Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;also earned a spot on the MIAA All-Tournament team after averaging 12.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 3.0 steals per game in KC. The forward was a third-team All-MIAA pick this year, garnering all-conference awards for a fourth time in her career.

FHSU reached 20 wins for a 13th-consecutive season this year, extending the longest active streak in DII to 13 (since 2011-12). It's tied for the seventh-longest across all NCAA Divisions. The next-best streak in DII is 11 (Drury), while the next-best streak in the MIAA is three (MWSU, MSSU).

Fort Hays State and NMSU are playing for a fourth time this season. The Tigers have played a team four times in a season only once during the DII era (ESU 2014-15). FHSU also played ESU four times in 1979-80 and played WU four times in 1987-88.Fort Hays State is 23-11 all-time against the Bearcats after defeating NMSU just six days ago. The Tigers are 2-1 against NWMSU this season. Fort Hays state holds a 2-1 record in neutral site matchups in the series. The Bearcats beat FHSU earlier this season in Maryville, snapping a 10-game losing streak to the Tigers.

Northwest Missouri State finished the regular season tied for second in the MIAA before bowing out in the conference semifinals against Fort Hays State less than one week ago. The Bearcats are playing in their first regional tournament since 2011 and their seventh all-time. NWMSU is 6-6 in the tournament, advancing as far as the national semifinals in 2011. NWMSU is third in the MIAA in scoring defense, allowing just 59.3 points per game.

Molly Hartnett (12.7 ppg) and Caely Kesten (12.3 ppg) lead the Bearcats in scoring, with Hartnett also leading the team with 3.3 assists per game. The Bearcats had three All-MIAA honorees, with Hartnett earning second team accolades, Kesten picking up third team honors and Jayna Green joining Wagner on the MIAA All-Defensive Team.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710467614926.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsNo. 3 seed Fort Hays State (24-7) vs. No. 6 seed Northwest Missouri State (23-7) Friday, March 15, 2024 • Noon Bethany, Okla. • Sawyer CenterRadio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video:&nbsp;NCAA Championships Pass:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/champs-pass?iid=cp_art_pr&amp;B=1012612">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>The Fort Hays State women's basketball team will play in its ninth NCAA Division II Championship tournament this weekend when the third-seeded Tigers take on No. 6 Northwest Missouri State in the Central Region quarterfinals Friday (March 15). First tip between the conference rivals is slated for noon from the Sawyer Center on the campus of Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Okla.This is Fort Hays State's eighth trip to the regional tournament in the last 10 years, more than any other school in the Central region during that span (UCM 6, ESU 6, PSU 6). This is the first time the Tigers have played as the No. 3 seed in the regional tournament. FHSU has been the top seed four times and has been seeded fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth once each.The Tigers are 7-7 all-time in NCAA postseason play, including a 4-2 record in the quarterfinals, a 1-2 record in neutral site contests and a 1-4 record against other MIAA teams. This is FHSU's first postseason game in the state of Oklahoma. The Tigers are 6-4 in Kansas, 1-1 in South Dakota, 0-1 in Missouri and 0-1 in North Dakota.Fort Hays State last played in the NCAA Tournament two years ago when the Tigers hosted the 2022 Central Regional inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. The Tigers reached the regional championship game for a third time in program history before falling to Missouri Western, 70-69.Katie Wagner&nbsp;was named to the 2022 Central Region All-Tournament team after averaging 17.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists in the three games that year. For her career, Wagner averages 16.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists in four NCAA tournament games.Wagner was named the Most Outstanding Player of the MIAA Championship after posting a pair of triple-doubles in Kansas City. She averaged 19.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.3 steals in the three games inside Municipal Auditorium. The Maize, Kan. native added the tournament honor to this year's trophy case that also includes MIAA Player of the Year, first team All-MIAA and MIAA All-Defensive Team honors.With 944 career rebounds through the MIAA tournament, The Maize, Kan. native needs 17 rebounds to tie for second all-time at Fort Hays State. She is fourth all-time in points (1,693), tied for ninth all-time in steals (181), seventh in single-season points (530, 28 behind fifth) and tied for 10th in single-season steals (70).Jessie Sallach&nbsp;has hit seven 3-pointers across the MIAA quarterfinals and semifinals. Going back to the regular season, Sallach hit nine in a three-game span and 11 across five games. For reference, the forward hit five 3-pointers in her first 115 games in a Tiger uniform before drilling 11 over the final three games of the regular season and the first two games of the MIAA tourney.Sydney Golladayu&nbsp;scored a season-high 15 points in the MIAA title game, her eighth game scoring in double figures this season. With 250 career assists, the Fremont, Neb. native is seven assists shy of tying for sixth all-time at Fort Hays State.Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;also earned a spot on the MIAA All-Tournament team after averaging 12.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 3.0 steals per game in KC. The forward was a third-team All-MIAA pick this year, garnering all-conference awards for a fourth time in her career.FHSU reached 20 wins for a 13th-consecutive season this year, extending the longest active streak in DII to 13 (since 2011-12). It's tied for the seventh-longest across all NCAA Divisions. The next-best streak in DII is 11 (Drury), while the next-best streak in the MIAA is three (MWSU, MSSU).Fort Hays State and NMSU are playing for a fourth time this season. The Tigers have played a team four times in a season only once during the DII era (ESU 2014-15). FHSU also played ESU four times in 1979-80 and played WU four times in 1987-88.Fort Hays State is 23-11 all-time against the Bearcats after defeating NMSU just six days ago. The Tigers are 2-1 against NWMSU this season. Fort Hays state holds a 2-1 record in neutral site matchups in the series. The Bearcats beat FHSU earlier this season in Maryville, snapping a 10-game losing streak to the Tigers.Northwest Missouri State finished the regular season tied for second in the MIAA before bowing out in the conference semifinals against Fort Hays State less than one week ago. The Bearcats are playing in their first regional tournament since 2011 and their seventh all-time. NWMSU is 6-6 in the tournament, advancing as far as the national semifinals in 2011. NWMSU is third in the MIAA in scoring defense, allowing just 59.3 points per game.Molly Hartnett (12.7 ppg) and Caely Kesten (12.3 ppg) lead the Bearcats in scoring, with Hartnett also leading the team with 3.3 assists per game. The Bearcats had three All-MIAA honorees, with Hartnett earning second team accolades, Kesten picking up third team honors and Jayna Green joining Wagner on the MIAA All-Defensive Team.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀🎧 LISTEN - FHSU women face NW Missouri State in NCAA opener

The Fort Hays State women's basketball team plays Pittsburg State in the MIAA Tournament championship game on Sunday, March 10, 2024 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.

The Fort Hays State women's basketball team plays Pittsburg State in the MIAA Tournament championship game on Sunday, March 10, 2024 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.<div><iframe title="FHSU Rewind-WBB vs. Pittsburg State (March 10, 2024)" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=x2zkm-15ab6f1-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=2" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 Defend the Fort Podcast: FHSU Rewind-WBB vs. Pittsburg State (March 10, 2024)

Friday, March 15
 KJLS: Fort Hays State women vs. NW Missouri State, 11:35am

Saturday, March 16
 KJLS: Fort Hays State men vs. Minnesota Duluth, 11:30am

 KAYS: Kansas basketball (if win 3/15) vs. TBD, 3:30pm
 KJLS: Fort Hays State women&nbsp; (if win 3/15) vs.
MWSU/MSU, 4:35pm

Sunday, March 17
 KJLS: Fort Hays State men (if win 3/16) vs. NMSU/SMSU, 4:30pm

Friday, March 15
 KJLS: Fort Hays State women vs. NW Missouri State, 11:35am Saturday, March 16
 KJLS: Fort Hays State men vs. Minnesota Duluth, 11:30am

 KAYS: Kansas basketball (if win 3/15) vs. TBD, 3:30pm
 KJLS: Fort Hays State women&nbsp; (if win 3/15) vs.
MWSU/MSU, 4:35pmSunday, March 17
 KJLS: Fort Hays State men (if win 3/16) vs. NMSU/SMSU, 4:30pm

🎧 Eagle Radio, Hull sports broadcast schedule

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs and Marquise Brown have agreed on a one-year deal that could be worth up to $11 million, a person familiar with the contract told The Associated Press on Thursday night, giving quarterback Patrick Mahomes the upgrade at wide receiver the team had been searching for since the Super Bowl.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract had not been signed.

The Chiefs beat the 49ers for their second straight Lombardi Trophy last month despite one of the least productive wide receiver groups in the NFL. Second-round draft pick Rashee Rice developed into a serviceable option in the passing game, but the Chiefs otherwise were left to rely on journeymen and stopgaps as they chased another title.

Brown could be the perfect complement to Rice in a new-look passing attack that includes recently signed tight end Irv Smith Jr., who was brought aboard one a one-year deal to play alongside star tight end Travis Kelce.

“Blessed Beyond Measures,”&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Primetime_jet/status/1768471457586155725?s=20">Brown posted on X</a>.

Brown's best season came three years ago for Baltimore, when he caught 91 passes for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns. He was traded to Arizona the following year, where he caught 118 passes for 1,283 yards and seven TDs in 26 games.

His biggest problem has been staying healthy. He dealt with a heel problem last year and last played a full season in 2020.

The Chiefs had been focused on keeping their own players in the fold in the offseason, signing All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones to a mammoth five-year deal that includes $95 million over the first three years; bringing back linebacker Drue Tranquill on a $19 million, three-year deal; and signing Tershawn Wharton earlier Thursday to a one-year contract.

But the Chiefs knew they needed to go outside the organization to upgrade their wide receiver room, especially given the fact they will pick low in each round of the draft. And it was clear Brown was one of their targets — Tranquill was even posting at him on social media this week, and Mahomes posted a smiling emoji when word of the deal became public.

The Chiefs might not be done, either. They restructured&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-patrick-mahomes-nfl-free-agency-9d6a2049e7ffd9d878c9fc1bf3ec2782">Mahomes' contract earlier this week</a>&nbsp;to free up more than $21 million under the salary cap, and that could give them flexibility to chase more help for their offense.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs and Marquise Brown have agreed on a one-year deal that could be worth up to $11 million, a person familiar with the contract told The Associated Press on Thursday night, giving quarterback Patrick Mahomes the upgrade at wide receiver the team had been searching for since the Super Bowl.The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract had not been signed.The Chiefs beat the 49ers for their second straight Lombardi Trophy last month despite one of the least productive wide receiver groups in the NFL. Second-round draft pick Rashee Rice developed into a serviceable option in the passing game, but the Chiefs otherwise were left to rely on journeymen and stopgaps as they chased another title.Brown could be the perfect complement to Rice in a new-look passing attack that includes recently signed tight end Irv Smith Jr., who was brought aboard one a one-year deal to play alongside star tight end Travis Kelce.“Blessed Beyond Measures,”&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Primetime_jet/status/1768471457586155725?s=20">Brown posted on X</a>.Brown's best season came three years ago for Baltimore, when he caught 91 passes for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns. He was traded to Arizona the following year, where he caught 118 passes for 1,283 yards and seven TDs in 26 games.His biggest problem has been staying healthy. He dealt with a heel problem last year and last played a full season in 2020.The Chiefs had been focused on keeping their own players in the fold in the offseason, signing All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones to a mammoth five-year deal that includes $95 million over the first three years; bringing back linebacker Drue Tranquill on a $19 million, three-year deal; and signing Tershawn Wharton earlier Thursday to a one-year contract.But the Chiefs knew they needed to go outside the organization to upgrade their wide receiver room, especially given the fact they will pick low in each round of the draft. And it was clear Brown was one of their targets — Tranquill was even posting at him on social media this week, and Mahomes posted a smiling emoji when word of the deal became public.The Chiefs might not be done, either. They restructured&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-patrick-mahomes-nfl-free-agency-9d6a2049e7ffd9d878c9fc1bf3ec2782">Mahomes' contract earlier this week</a>&nbsp;to free up more than $21 million under the salary cap, and that could give them flexibility to chase more help for their offense.

🏈Chiefs agree with WR Marquise Brown on 1-year deal worth up to $11 million, AP source says

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Robert Jones scored 18 points, Tre King added 16 points and No. 7 Iowa State harried Kansas State into 20 turnovers on Thursday night, allowing the Cyclones to cruise to a 76-57 victory in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament.

Keshon Gilbert added 12 points and six steals and Tamin Lipsey had 11 points for the fourth-seeded Cyclones (25-7), who were clinging to a 40-39 lead with about 16 minutes to go when the Wildcats' turnovers really began to pile up.

Tylor Perry had 18 points, Arthur Kaluma scored 13 and Will McNair Jr. had 12 points for 10th-seeded Kansas State (19-14), which may have popped its own NCAA Tournament bubble through its own offensive ineptitude.

The Wildcats were hanging precipitously on the NCAA bubble until late-season losses to Cincinnati and Kansas put them in desperation mode. They responded with a win over Iowa State on senior day, then beat seventh-seeded Texas — an almost certain tourney team — on Wednesday to earn the opportunity for another marquee win over the Cyclones.

But this is the Big 12 Tournament, where Iowa State always seems to show up.

The four-time champs methodically went about their business in the first half Thursday night, building a 34-27 halftime lead by beating Kansas State to loose balls and turning dominance in the paint into a bunch of second-chance baskets.

They won the kind of hustle plays Kansas State won when the teams met at Bramlage Coliseum last Saturday.

The Wildcats tried to make a second-half run, closing within 40-39 on McNair's layup with 16 minutes to go. But then a team ranked 338th out of 351 teams in Division I in turnovers proceeded to cough the ball up on five of its next seven trips down the floor, and the Cyclones capitalized behind Hason Ward and Milan Momcilovic to pull away again.

They outscored Kansas State 26-6 over the next 10 minutes to put the game away.

Kansas State is left to hope three wins over top-10 teams is enough to get it into the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.

Iowa State will play the winner of No. 14 Baylor vs. Cincinnati in the semifinals. The Cyclones lost to the Bears in February on a layup in the closing seconds, a game better remembered for the Bears' Scott Drew getting ejected, and beat Cincinnati later in the month when the Cyclones forced 25 turnovers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710463675847.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletis" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletis</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Robert Jones scored 18 points, Tre King added 16 points and No. 7 Iowa State harried Kansas State into 20 turnovers on Thursday night, allowing the Cyclones to cruise to a 76-57 victory in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament.Keshon Gilbert added 12 points and six steals and Tamin Lipsey had 11 points for the fourth-seeded Cyclones (25-7), who were clinging to a 40-39 lead with about 16 minutes to go when the Wildcats' turnovers really began to pile up.Tylor Perry had 18 points, Arthur Kaluma scored 13 and Will McNair Jr. had 12 points for 10th-seeded Kansas State (19-14), which may have popped its own NCAA Tournament bubble through its own offensive ineptitude.The Wildcats were hanging precipitously on the NCAA bubble until late-season losses to Cincinnati and Kansas put them in desperation mode. They responded with a win over Iowa State on senior day, then beat seventh-seeded Texas — an almost certain tourney team — on Wednesday to earn the opportunity for another marquee win over the Cyclones.But this is the Big 12 Tournament, where Iowa State always seems to show up.The four-time champs methodically went about their business in the first half Thursday night, building a 34-27 halftime lead by beating Kansas State to loose balls and turning dominance in the paint into a bunch of second-chance baskets.They won the kind of hustle plays Kansas State won when the teams met at Bramlage Coliseum last Saturday.The Wildcats tried to make a second-half run, closing within 40-39 on McNair's layup with 16 minutes to go. But then a team ranked 338th out of 351 teams in Division I in turnovers proceeded to cough the ball up on five of its next seven trips down the floor, and the Cyclones capitalized behind Hason Ward and Milan Momcilovic to pull away again.They outscored Kansas State 26-6 over the next 10 minutes to put the game away.UP NEXTKansas State is left to hope three wins over top-10 teams is enough to get it into the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.Iowa State will play the winner of No. 14 Baylor vs. Cincinnati in the semifinals. The Cyclones lost to the Bears in February on a layup in the closing seconds, a game better remembered for the Bears' Scott Drew getting ejected, and beat Cincinnati later in the month when the Cyclones forced 25 turnovers.___

🏀 Jones leads Iowa State to win over K-State in Big 12 tourney quarterfinals

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/stats/2024/bethany-college-kan-/boxscore/12949">GAME 1 BOX SCORE</a> <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=softball&amp;id=12950">GAME 2 BOX SCORE</a>

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State picked up a doubleheader sweep for the second straight day in its home park, this time defeating Bethany College twice to move to 13-11 overall on the season. The Swedes moved to 7-9. The Tigers won by scores of 7-2 and 8-5. FHSU has now won four games in a row.

Game 1: Fort Hays State 7, Bethany College 2 Bethany took an early advantage in the first contest of the day, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning on a pair of hits. But, the Tigers rallied back for a pair of runs in the bottom of the first and went on to win the first game handily by a count of 7-2.

To get the game tied in the first, Peyton Shepard&nbsp;led off with a single, stole a base, then Sarah Tiffany&nbsp;singled and stole a base to put runners at second and third. Two batters later, Loren Beggs&nbsp;tied the game with 2-RBI single. In the third, the Tigers took the lead when a Tiffany single and Beggs walk set up a Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson&nbsp;RBI single.

Shepard extended the lead to 5-2 in the fourth with a 2-run inside the park home run to left center field with the outfielders drawn in a bit on the play. Audrey Gillespie&nbsp;walked in the at bat prior to set up the pair of runs for the Tigers. Carly Stuke&nbsp;pushed the lead to 6-2 in the sixth, leading off the inning with a solo blast over the left field wall. Moments later, a Regan Curry triple down the right field line set up an RBI groundout by Gillespie.

Savannah Egger&nbsp;pitched a complete game for the Tigers, scattering five hits. She struck out seven batters and walked just one, moving to 7-5 on the season. Morgan Pennycuff also threw a complete game for the Swedes. She allowed eight hits and three walks, while striking out three. Shepard and Tiffany both had two hits in the game.

Game 2: Fort Hays State 8, Bethany College 5 Fort Hays State had to outlast Bethany in the second contest of the day after the Swedes tied the game twice. FHSU initially led 2-0 before Bethany tied the game with a pair of runs in the third. After the Tigers immediately took the lead back, Bethany rallied again in the sixth to tie the game at 5-5. FHSU plated three runs in the bottom of the sixth that decided the game. The Tiger offense erupted for 15 hits in the game.

Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson&nbsp;got the Tigers going with a base hit in the second, followed by a walk drawn by Carly Stuke. Audrey Gillespie&nbsp;put the first tally on the board with an RBI double to right field and Regan Curry&nbsp;followed with an RBI sacrifice fly. Three straight hits by the Swedes in the third leveled the score at 2-2, but FHSU moved back in front by two in the bottom half of the inning when Sarah Tiffany&nbsp;and Loren Beggs&nbsp;doubles generated the first run, then Stuke had an RBI single to score Beggs.

Curry added another sacrifice fly RBI for the Tigers in the fifth before Bethany rallied for three runs in the sixth to tie the game again. Three hits in the inning plated the first run, walk drove in another, and a seeing-eye single through the right side tied the game. Coming on in relief, Bailey Carlson was able to slam the door on the Bethany rally with a big strikeout and then weak groundout with the bases loaded.

The Tigers used small ball for their final rally of the game. Peyton Shepard&nbsp;and Tiffany had back-to-back bunt singles and Alondra Dominguez&nbsp;drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Ramirez-Johnson doubled home a run and Stuke followed with another RBI single to make it 8-5. That was plenty for Carlson, who retired the Bethany side in order in the seventh for the win. She moved to 2-1 on the season, working 1.2 innings in relief of Morgan Schmidt&nbsp;who pitched 5.1 innings and struck out eight. Jordyn Stelzig relieved for the Swedes in the sixth and took the loss, allowing the final three runs.

Stuke (3-for-3), Ramirez-Johnson (3-for-4) and Gillespie (3-for-4) all recorded three-hit games for the Tigers, while Shepard, Beggs, and Tiffany all had two.The Tigers will be back in action next week in Hays against Colorado School of Mines.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710468043681.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Jacob Lawson" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Jacob Lawson</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/stats/2024/bethany-college-kan-/boxscore/12949">GAME 1 BOX SCORE</a> <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=softball&amp;id=12950">GAME 2 BOX SCORE</a>HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State picked up a doubleheader sweep for the second straight day in its home park, this time defeating Bethany College twice to move to 13-11 overall on the season. The Swedes moved to 7-9. The Tigers won by scores of 7-2 and 8-5. FHSU has now won four games in a row.Game 1: Fort Hays State 7, Bethany College 2 Bethany took an early advantage in the first contest of the day, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning on a pair of hits. But, the Tigers rallied back for a pair of runs in the bottom of the first and went on to win the first game handily by a count of 7-2.To get the game tied in the first, Peyton Shepard&nbsp;led off with a single, stole a base, then Sarah Tiffany&nbsp;singled and stole a base to put runners at second and third. Two batters later, Loren Beggs&nbsp;tied the game with 2-RBI single. In the third, the Tigers took the lead when a Tiffany single and Beggs walk set up a Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson&nbsp;RBI single.Shepard extended the lead to 5-2 in the fourth with a 2-run inside the park home run to left center field with the outfielders drawn in a bit on the play. Audrey Gillespie&nbsp;walked in the at bat prior to set up the pair of runs for the Tigers. Carly Stuke&nbsp;pushed the lead to 6-2 in the sixth, leading off the inning with a solo blast over the left field wall. Moments later, a Regan Curry triple down the right field line set up an RBI groundout by Gillespie.Savannah Egger&nbsp;pitched a complete game for the Tigers, scattering five hits. She struck out seven batters and walked just one, moving to 7-5 on the season. Morgan Pennycuff also threw a complete game for the Swedes. She allowed eight hits and three walks, while striking out three. Shepard and Tiffany both had two hits in the game.Game 2: Fort Hays State 8, Bethany College 5 Fort Hays State had to outlast Bethany in the second contest of the day after the Swedes tied the game twice. FHSU initially led 2-0 before Bethany tied the game with a pair of runs in the third. After the Tigers immediately took the lead back, Bethany rallied again in the sixth to tie the game at 5-5. FHSU plated three runs in the bottom of the sixth that decided the game. The Tiger offense erupted for 15 hits in the game.Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson&nbsp;got the Tigers going with a base hit in the second, followed by a walk drawn by Carly Stuke. Audrey Gillespie&nbsp;put the first tally on the board with an RBI double to right field and Regan Curry&nbsp;followed with an RBI sacrifice fly. Three straight hits by the Swedes in the third leveled the score at 2-2, but FHSU moved back in front by two in the bottom half of the inning when Sarah Tiffany&nbsp;and Loren Beggs&nbsp;doubles generated the first run, then Stuke had an RBI single to score Beggs.Curry added another sacrifice fly RBI for the Tigers in the fifth before Bethany rallied for three runs in the sixth to tie the game again. Three hits in the inning plated the first run, walk drove in another, and a seeing-eye single through the right side tied the game. Coming on in relief, Bailey Carlson was able to slam the door on the Bethany rally with a big strikeout and then weak groundout with the bases loaded.The Tigers used small ball for their final rally of the game. Peyton Shepard&nbsp;and Tiffany had back-to-back bunt singles and Alondra Dominguez&nbsp;drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Ramirez-Johnson doubled home a run and Stuke followed with another RBI single to make it 8-5. That was plenty for Carlson, who retired the Bethany side in order in the seventh for the win. She moved to 2-1 on the season, working 1.2 innings in relief of Morgan Schmidt&nbsp;who pitched 5.1 innings and struck out eight. Jordyn Stelzig relieved for the Swedes in the sixth and took the loss, allowing the final three runs.Stuke (3-for-3), Ramirez-Johnson (3-for-4) and Gillespie (3-for-4) all recorded three-hit games for the Tigers, while Shepard, Beggs, and Tiffany all had two.The Tigers will be back in action next week in Hays against Colorado School of Mines.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🥎 Tigers sweep Bethany, run win streak to four

FHSU Athletics RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Katie Wagner of Fort Hays State was named to the D2CCA All-Central Region First Team for the 2023-24 season, released on Thursday (March 14). Wagner adds yet another honor to her collection for the season after earning MIAA Player of the Year, All-MIAA First Team, MIAA All-Defensive Team, and MIAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors.

Wagner enters the NCAA Tournament averaging 17.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game this season. She has 13 double-doubles this season in points and rebounds and 35 in her career. She has scored at least 20 points in a game 11 times this season and at least 30 points twice with a season high of 32. She reached double figures in rebounds 13 times this season with 17 as her season high.

Wagner joins a pair of players from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and a pair from the Great American Conference on the first team. NSIC first team selections include Lexie Schneider from the University of Mary and Joey Batt from Minnesota State University. GAC first team selections include Faith Simpson from Northwestern Oklahoma State University and Hannah Giddey from Southern Nazarene University. A total of 10 players are selected to the D2CCA All-Central Region Team with five first-team selections and five second-team selections.

Below is the 2023-24 D2CCA All-Central Region Team for women's basketball.

First Team Faith Simpson, Northwestern Oklahoma State - Player of the Year Katie Wagner, Fort Hays State Lexie Schneider, University of Mary Joey Batt, Minnesota State-Mankato Hannah Giddey, Southern Nazarene

Second Team Ashley Farrar, Henderson State Sage Hawley, Harding Brooke Littrell, Central Missouri Grace Pyle, Pittsburg State Lauryn Reither, Southern Nazarene

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710451171438.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Katie Wagner of Fort Hays State was named to the D2CCA All-Central Region First Team for the 2023-24 season, released on Thursday (March 14). Wagner adds yet another honor to her collection for the season after earning MIAA Player of the Year, All-MIAA First Team, MIAA All-Defensive Team, and MIAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors.Wagner enters the NCAA Tournament averaging 17.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game this season. She has 13 double-doubles this season in points and rebounds and 35 in her career. She has scored at least 20 points in a game 11 times this season and at least 30 points twice with a season high of 32. She reached double figures in rebounds 13 times this season with 17 as her season high.Wagner joins a pair of players from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and a pair from the Great American Conference on the first team. NSIC first team selections include Lexie Schneider from the University of Mary and Joey Batt from Minnesota State University. GAC first team selections include Faith Simpson from Northwestern Oklahoma State University and Hannah Giddey from Southern Nazarene University. A total of 10 players are selected to the D2CCA All-Central Region Team with five first-team selections and five second-team selections.Below is the 2023-24 D2CCA All-Central Region Team for women's basketball.First Team Faith Simpson, Northwestern Oklahoma State - Player of the Year Katie Wagner, Fort Hays State Lexie Schneider, University of Mary Joey Batt, Minnesota State-Mankato Hannah Giddey, Southern NazareneSecond Team Ashley Farrar, Henderson State Sage Hawley, Harding Brooke Littrell, Central Missouri Grace Pyle, Pittsburg State Lauryn Reither, Southern Nazarene

🏀 FHSU's Wagner named to D2CCA All-Central Region first team

The Fort Hays State men's basketball team takes on Pittsburg State in the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.

The Fort Hays State men's basketball team takes on Pittsburg State in the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.<div><iframe title="FHSU Rewind-MBB vs. Pittsburg State (March 9, 2024)" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=dhvyh-15ab6df-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=2" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 Defend the Fort Podcast: FHSU Rewind-MBB vs. Pittsburg State (March 9, 2024)

The Fort Hays State women's basketball team takes on Northwest Missouri State in the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.

The Fort Hays State women's basketball team takes on Northwest Missouri State in the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.<div><iframe title="FHSU Rewind-WBB vs. NW Missouri State (March 9, 2024)" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=kiwcn-15ab6cf-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=2" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 Defend the Fort Podcast: FHSU Rewind-WBB vs. NW Missouri State (March 9, 2024)

Friday, March 15
 KJLS: Fort Hays State women vs. NW Missouri State, 11:35am

Saturday, March 16
 KJLS: Fort Hays State men vs. Minnesota Duluth, 11:30am

KAYS: Kansas basketball (if win 3/15) vs. TBD, 3:30pm
 KJLS: Fort Hays State women&nbsp; (if win 3/15) vs.
MWSU/MSU, 4:35pm

Friday, March 15
 KJLS: Fort Hays State women vs. NW Missouri State, 11:35am
 Saturday, March 16
 KJLS: Fort Hays State men vs. Minnesota Duluth, 11:30am

KAYS: Kansas basketball (if win 3/15) vs. TBD, 3:30pm
 KJLS: Fort Hays State women&nbsp; (if win 3/15) vs.
MWSU/MSU, 4:35pmSunday, March 17
 KJLS: Fort Hays State men (if win 3/16) vs. NMSU/SMSU, 4:30pm

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cincinnati coach Wes Miller admitted he was up late preparing to face No. 16 Kansas in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament, and a big reason why was he didn't know how the Jayhawks would play without Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr.

The conference's two leading scorers were out with injuries Wednesday night.

“It was hard. You take out two guys who have done so much all year, both ends of the floor, you don't know how they're going to adjust. That part is difficult,” Miller said. “I thought our guys did a nice job with the game plan.”

So nice, in fact, the Bearcats were able to empty their bench in the final minute.

Dan Skillings Jr. poured in 25 points, John Newman III added 12 and the No. 11 seed Bearcats rolled to a 72-52 victory, picking up another important win for their resume as they try to elbow their way into the NCAA Tournament.

Up next for Cincinnati (20-14) is No. 14 Baylor — the third seed in the league tourney — in the quarterfinals Thursday.

“We didn't start the year to say, ‘Hey, the goal is to get to 20 wins.' We’re not popping champagne or anything like that,” Miller said. “You do recognize things that have value, and getting 20 wins is something.”

Dickinson missed the game after dislocating his shoulder in a 30-point loss to Houston last weekend, while McCullar has been dealing with a knee injury. Coach Bill Self expects both to practice Monday ahead of the NCAA Tournament, but that didn't help the 12-time Big 12 Tournament champions when they stepped on the floor against the Bearcats.

In fact, the situation grew more dire for the Jayhawks when, trailing 43-38 with just over 10 minutes left, they watched Elmarko Jackson come up hobbling, then saw KJ Adams Jr. crash to the floor defending a fast break and briefly leave the game.

Adams returned to lead No. 6 seed Kansas (22-10) with 22 points. Jackson also was able to finish and scored five.

“Obviously we were bad offensively and didn't make shots — didn't make any shots,” Self said, “and today was a night that things had to go a lot better for us shooting the basketball to have a chance.”

The fact that the Jayhawks were close at all in the second half was noteworthy.

Day Day Thomas, who hit seven 3s and scored 29 points in Cincinnati's opening win over West Virginia, remained hot from behind the arc in the first half. Simas Lukosius, who also had seven 3s and scored 31 a day earlier, did some damage at the rim. And by the time the Jayhawks came up empty on a final possession of the first half, they were facing a 38-25 hole.

Kansas dug out by holding the Bearcats to a 1-for-13 start from the field in the second half, and they were helped by a heavily pro-Jayhawks crowd inside T-Mobile Center that roared when their team closed within 40-38 with 13:30 to go.

But Kansas kept missing open looks, and that gave the Bearcats an opportunity to rebuild their lead.

"That start of the second half, we just got really stagnant. We had some good looks early, they didn't go, and we got a little tight and stopped playing aggressively," Miller said. "I thought our guys looked around and said, 'We’re going to go do it,’ and we got aggressive again, and then we had some good things happen.”

Self was back on the sideline after missing last year's Big 12 tourney when he was hospitalized with a heart issue. Kansas went to the finals without him, losing there to Texas, before playing without the Hall of Fame coach in the NCAA Tournament.

“Yeah, a year ago today I was messed up,” Self said. “So yeah, from that standpoint, I feel a heck of a lot better than a year ago, and today I'm not exactly happy or feeling great.”

Cincinnati lost 62-59 at Baylor on Jan. 13 when Lukosius missed two 3s in the closing seconds. The rematch will be even tougher with the Bears rested and the Bearcats playing for the third time in three days.

Kansas was once considered a potential No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament. Now, it could be looking at the No. 4 or 5 line on Selection Sunday. The big question is how much the selection committee will weigh the Jayhawks' injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710409733923.png" alt="Photo Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cincinnati coach Wes Miller admitted he was up late preparing to face No. 16 Kansas in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament, and a big reason why was he didn't know how the Jayhawks would play without Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr.The conference's two leading scorers were out with injuries Wednesday night.“It was hard. You take out two guys who have done so much all year, both ends of the floor, you don't know how they're going to adjust. That part is difficult,” Miller said. “I thought our guys did a nice job with the game plan.”So nice, in fact, the Bearcats were able to empty their bench in the final minute.Dan Skillings Jr. poured in 25 points, John Newman III added 12 and the No. 11 seed Bearcats rolled to a 72-52 victory, picking up another important win for their resume as they try to elbow their way into the NCAA Tournament.Up next for Cincinnati (20-14) is No. 14 Baylor — the third seed in the league tourney — in the quarterfinals Thursday.“We didn't start the year to say, ‘Hey, the goal is to get to 20 wins.' We’re not popping champagne or anything like that,” Miller said. “You do recognize things that have value, and getting 20 wins is something.”Dickinson missed the game after dislocating his shoulder in a 30-point loss to Houston last weekend, while McCullar has been dealing with a knee injury. Coach Bill Self expects both to practice Monday ahead of the NCAA Tournament, but that didn't help the 12-time Big 12 Tournament champions when they stepped on the floor against the Bearcats.In fact, the situation grew more dire for the Jayhawks when, trailing 43-38 with just over 10 minutes left, they watched Elmarko Jackson come up hobbling, then saw KJ Adams Jr. crash to the floor defending a fast break and briefly leave the game.Adams returned to lead No. 6 seed Kansas (22-10) with 22 points. Jackson also was able to finish and scored five.“Obviously we were bad offensively and didn't make shots — didn't make any shots,” Self said, “and today was a night that things had to go a lot better for us shooting the basketball to have a chance.”The fact that the Jayhawks were close at all in the second half was noteworthy.Day Day Thomas, who hit seven 3s and scored 29 points in Cincinnati's opening win over West Virginia, remained hot from behind the arc in the first half. Simas Lukosius, who also had seven 3s and scored 31 a day earlier, did some damage at the rim. And by the time the Jayhawks came up empty on a final possession of the first half, they were facing a 38-25 hole.Kansas dug out by holding the Bearcats to a 1-for-13 start from the field in the second half, and they were helped by a heavily pro-Jayhawks crowd inside T-Mobile Center that roared when their team closed within 40-38 with 13:30 to go.But Kansas kept missing open looks, and that gave the Bearcats an opportunity to rebuild their lead."That start of the second half, we just got really stagnant. We had some good looks early, they didn't go, and we got a little tight and stopped playing aggressively," Miller said. "I thought our guys looked around and said, 'We’re going to go do it,’ and we got aggressive again, and then we had some good things happen.”SILVER LININGSelf was back on the sideline after missing last year's Big 12 tourney when he was hospitalized with a heart issue. Kansas went to the finals without him, losing there to Texas, before playing without the Hall of Fame coach in the NCAA Tournament.“Yeah, a year ago today I was messed up,” Self said. “So yeah, from that standpoint, I feel a heck of a lot better than a year ago, and today I'm not exactly happy or feeling great.”UP NEXTCincinnati lost 62-59 at Baylor on Jan. 13 when Lukosius missed two 3s in the closing seconds. The rematch will be even tougher with the Bears rested and the Bearcats playing for the third time in three days.Kansas was once considered a potential No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament. Now, it could be looking at the No. 4 or 5 line on Selection Sunday. The big question is how much the selection committee will weigh the Jayhawks' injuries.

🏀 Cincinnati beats short-handed Kansas in Big 12 Tournament

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tylor Perry scored 21 points, making four pressure-filled free throws down the stretch, and No. 10 seed Kansas State rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat seventh-seeded Texas 78-74 in the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday night.

Arthur Kaluma added 14 points, David N'Guessan had 13 and Dai Dai Ames and Cam Carter finished with 10 apiece for the Wildcats (19-13), who gave their flickering NCAA Tournament hopes a big boost by following their upset of sixth-ranked Iowa State to end the regular season with a win over the Longhorns.

Now, they get another shot at the Cyclones — the No. 2 seed in the tournament — in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

The Longhorns (20-12), who led 39-29 at the half before falling behind 67-57 late in the game, gave themselves a chance when Dylan Disu — the tournament MVP a year ago — scored on a putback to get within 70-68 with 28 seconds to go.

But when Kansas State inbounded the ball to Perry, and he was hammered by the Longhorns' Chendall Weaver, the officials assessed him a flagrant foul. Perry hit both free throws, and when the Wildcats retained possession and inbounded again, Carter caught a deep throw down the court and laid it in for a 74-68 lead with 18 seconds left.

Abmas answered with a 3 for the Longhorns, and Perry calmly made two more free throws. And when the Texas guard hit one more 3 with 8 seconds left, Carter stepped to the line and made his two foul shots to put the game away.

Abmas finished with 26 points to lead Texas. Ithiel Horton had 14 points and Dillon Mitchell scored 13, while star guard Tyrese Hunter was held to three points on 0-for-7 shooting from the field.

The Wildcats' biggest problem early on was turnovers, just as it has been all season. They entered the game 338th out of 351 teams in Division I in giving the ball away, and they did it eight more times in the first half against Texas. Several turned into run-outs for the Longhorns, whose edge in points-off-turnovers nearly matched their lead for the game.

When the Wildcats began valuing the ball in the second half, their comeback was on.

Kaluma took it upon himself to drive for a series of tough buckets early in the half, not only drawing Kansas State closer but getting Disu and Brock Cunningham into foul trouble. And when Perry hit a 3-pointer from near the midcourt line with the shot-clock winding down, the Wildcats had pulled ahead 48-47 with 12:30 remaining in the game.

Kansas State still led 69-64 with just over two minutes to go when Abmas made a falling-sideways 3-pointer from right in front of the Texas bench, then got another bucket to go moments later, making it a three-point game in the final minute.

Texas hoped to improve its NCAA Tournament seed in Kansas City. It will likely be on the 8- or 9-line come Sunday.

Kansas State split with the Cyclones in the regular season, losing on the road before winning last Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710377621259.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tylor Perry scored 21 points, making four pressure-filled free throws down the stretch, and No. 10 seed Kansas State rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat seventh-seeded Texas 78-74 in the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday night.Arthur Kaluma added 14 points, David N'Guessan had 13 and Dai Dai Ames and Cam Carter finished with 10 apiece for the Wildcats (19-13), who gave their flickering NCAA Tournament hopes a big boost by following their upset of sixth-ranked Iowa State to end the regular season with a win over the Longhorns.Now, they get another shot at the Cyclones — the No. 2 seed in the tournament — in the quarterfinals on Thursday.The Longhorns (20-12), who led 39-29 at the half before falling behind 67-57 late in the game, gave themselves a chance when Dylan Disu — the tournament MVP a year ago — scored on a putback to get within 70-68 with 28 seconds to go.But when Kansas State inbounded the ball to Perry, and he was hammered by the Longhorns' Chendall Weaver, the officials assessed him a flagrant foul. Perry hit both free throws, and when the Wildcats retained possession and inbounded again, Carter caught a deep throw down the court and laid it in for a 74-68 lead with 18 seconds left.Abmas answered with a 3 for the Longhorns, and Perry calmly made two more free throws. And when the Texas guard hit one more 3 with 8 seconds left, Carter stepped to the line and made his two foul shots to put the game away.Abmas finished with 26 points to lead Texas. Ithiel Horton had 14 points and Dillon Mitchell scored 13, while star guard Tyrese Hunter was held to three points on 0-for-7 shooting from the field.The Wildcats' biggest problem early on was turnovers, just as it has been all season. They entered the game 338th out of 351 teams in Division I in giving the ball away, and they did it eight more times in the first half against Texas. Several turned into run-outs for the Longhorns, whose edge in points-off-turnovers nearly matched their lead for the game.When the Wildcats began valuing the ball in the second half, their comeback was on.Kaluma took it upon himself to drive for a series of tough buckets early in the half, not only drawing Kansas State closer but getting Disu and Brock Cunningham into foul trouble. And when Perry hit a 3-pointer from near the midcourt line with the shot-clock winding down, the Wildcats had pulled ahead 48-47 with 12:30 remaining in the game.Kansas State still led 69-64 with just over two minutes to go when Abmas made a falling-sideways 3-pointer from right in front of the Texas bench, then got another bucket to go moments later, making it a three-point game in the final minute.UP NEXTTexas hoped to improve its NCAA Tournament seed in Kansas City. It will likely be on the 8- or 9-line come Sunday.Kansas State split with the Cyclones in the regular season, losing on the road before winning last Saturday.

🏀 MBB: Kansas State rallies to beat Texas in Big 12 Tournament

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/stats/2024/rockhurst/boxscore/12947">BOX SCORE&nbsp;1 </a><a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/stats/2024/rockhurst/boxscore/12948">BOX SCORE&nbsp;2</a>

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State Softball snapped its losing string on Wednesday (March 13) with a doubleheader sweep of Rockhurst University. The Tigers defeated the Hawks by scores of 2-1 and 2-0, moving to 11-11 overall on the season. The Hawks dropped to 5-9 overall. The first game went to extra innings with the Tigers scoring the winning run in the eighth.

Fort Hays State 2, Rockhurst 1 (8 inn.) Fort Hays State posted an early run in the first and nearly made it hold up, but Rockhurst was able to get the tying run in the seventh to force extra innings. The Tigers went on to win in walk-off fashion on a sacrifice fly RBI with the international tiebreaking format being used in extra innings.

A Peyton Shepard leadoff single set the table for the Tigers' first run of the game. She stole second, moved up to third on a groundout, then scored on a sacrifice fly RBI by Alondra Dominguez.

Savanah Egger was cruising along with just two hits allowed through the first six innings, holding the Hawks scoreless. However, Rockhurst broke through in the seventh with a single and then an RBI double to start the inning, tying the game. The Hawks took an extra base on a Tiger misplay of the ball in the outfield, leaving a runner at third with no outs. Egger worked some wizardry to get out of the jam with a strikeout, a ground out, and then another strikeout to end the threat.

The Tigers had a golden opportunity to end the game in the seventh, but a potential sacrifice fly ball to right field turned into a double play as the Tiger runner was cut down at the plate to end the inning. Egger was able to work around the runner placed at second in the eighth with the help of her catcher Madison Pierce cutting down a potential base stealer to keep the game tied. Lexi Mohr executed a sacrifice bunt to perfection to start the eighth and two batters later, Sarah Tiffany ended the game with an RBI sacrifice fly.

Egger finished the game with 10 strikeouts, moving to 6-5 overall on the season. She scattered just four hits and walked only one in a complete game effort. Rockhurst pitcher Anna Stephen took the loss, allowing five hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Loren Beggs finished 3-for-3 at the plate in the game for the Tigers, accounting for 60 percent of the team's five hits.

Fort Hays State 2, Rockhurst 0 The Tigers scored two once again in the second game, but kept Rockhurst scoreless this time to get their overall record back to .500 on the season. Morgan Schmidt threw a two-hit complete game shutout with nine strikeouts to pick up her third win on the season. She did not allow any walks.

The Tigers had just one hit through the first three innings before finally breaking through for the game's first run in the fourth. Carly Stuke had a two-out single and then came in to score on a flare triple down the right field line by Madison Pierce. The Tigers tacked on one more run in the fifth when Peyton Shepard led off the inning with a hit and later came in to score on a two-out RBI single by Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson. The Tigers had five hits in the game, all scattered among different players.

Fort Hays State will play host to Bethany College on Thursday (March 14) in a doubleheader set to begin at 1 p.m. at Fleharty Family Field.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710421104246.jpeg" alt="

FHSU Athletics photo/Jacob Lawson" />
 <figcaption>

FHSU Athletics photo/Jacob Lawson</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/stats/2024/rockhurst/boxscore/12947">BOX SCORE&nbsp;1 </a><a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/stats/2024/rockhurst/boxscore/12948">BOX SCORE&nbsp;2</a>HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State Softball snapped its losing string on Wednesday (March 13) with a doubleheader sweep of Rockhurst University. The Tigers defeated the Hawks by scores of 2-1 and 2-0, moving to 11-11 overall on the season. The Hawks dropped to 5-9 overall. The first game went to extra innings with the Tigers scoring the winning run in the eighth.Fort Hays State 2, Rockhurst 1 (8 inn.) Fort Hays State posted an early run in the first and nearly made it hold up, but Rockhurst was able to get the tying run in the seventh to force extra innings. The Tigers went on to win in walk-off fashion on a sacrifice fly RBI with the international tiebreaking format being used in extra innings.A Peyton Shepard leadoff single set the table for the Tigers' first run of the game. She stole second, moved up to third on a groundout, then scored on a sacrifice fly RBI by Alondra Dominguez.Savanah Egger was cruising along with just two hits allowed through the first six innings, holding the Hawks scoreless. However, Rockhurst broke through in the seventh with a single and then an RBI double to start the inning, tying the game. The Hawks took an extra base on a Tiger misplay of the ball in the outfield, leaving a runner at third with no outs. Egger worked some wizardry to get out of the jam with a strikeout, a ground out, and then another strikeout to end the threat.The Tigers had a golden opportunity to end the game in the seventh, but a potential sacrifice fly ball to right field turned into a double play as the Tiger runner was cut down at the plate to end the inning. Egger was able to work around the runner placed at second in the eighth with the help of her catcher Madison Pierce cutting down a potential base stealer to keep the game tied. Lexi Mohr executed a sacrifice bunt to perfection to start the eighth and two batters later, Sarah Tiffany ended the game with an RBI sacrifice fly.Egger finished the game with 10 strikeouts, moving to 6-5 overall on the season. She scattered just four hits and walked only one in a complete game effort. Rockhurst pitcher Anna Stephen took the loss, allowing five hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Loren Beggs finished 3-for-3 at the plate in the game for the Tigers, accounting for 60 percent of the team's five hits.Fort Hays State 2, Rockhurst 0 The Tigers scored two once again in the second game, but kept Rockhurst scoreless this time to get their overall record back to .500 on the season. Morgan Schmidt threw a two-hit complete game shutout with nine strikeouts to pick up her third win on the season. She did not allow any walks.The Tigers had just one hit through the first three innings before finally breaking through for the game's first run in the fourth. Carly Stuke had a two-out single and then came in to score on a flare triple down the right field line by Madison Pierce. The Tigers tacked on one more run in the fifth when Peyton Shepard led off the inning with a hit and later came in to score on a two-out RBI single by Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson. The Tigers had five hits in the game, all scattered among different players.Fort Hays State will play host to Bethany College on Thursday (March 14) in a doubleheader set to begin at 1 p.m. at Fleharty Family Field.

🥎 FHSU's Schmidt and Egger shine in pair of pitching duels vs. Rockhurst

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals today announced that All-Star outfielder&nbsp;Bo Jackson&nbsp;has been elected into the Royals Hall of Fame. Jackson will be inducted during an on-field ceremony on Saturday, June 29 prior to the Royals game that afternoon vs. the Cleveland Guardians.

Jackson was placed on the ballot by the Royals Hall of Fame Executive Board and elected through the Royals Hall of Fame Veterans Committee voting process. The veterans committee vote considers the candidacy of non-field personnel in addition to players and managers no longer eligible for election by Regular Phase Royals Hall of Fame Voting. The committee consists of 16 voting members selected by the board, comprised of Royals Hall of Fame Members, Royals Club Executives and media members. Candidates must be named on at least 75% of all ballots cast to be elected.

Jackson, the 1985 Heisman Trophy winner at Auburn University, shocked the sports world by initially spurning pro football to instead sign with the Royals in 1986. Kansas City had selected Jackson in the 4th round of the 1986 First Year Player Draft, a signing which resulted from the determined commitment of scout&nbsp;Ken Gonzales. On his official scouting report, Gonzales summarized Jackson as the “greatest pure athlete in America today.” The then-Royals Director of Scouting,&nbsp;Art Stewart, said, “It was Kenny’s relationship with the family that resulted in our signing Bo.”

Once signed, Jackson was a phenomenon unlike any player before. He made his Major League debut on Sept. 2, 1986, and recorded his 1st career hit. His 1st home run on Sept. 14, 1986 traveled an estimated 475 feet, which at the time was the longest ever hit at Royals Stadium. It was just the start of a string of near-superhuman athletic feats that made Bo not just a star for the Royals, but a cultural sensation.

Jackson scaled walls and launched throws like a superhero. His remarkable Most Valuable Player performance at the 1989 MLB All-Star Game, which included a memorable leadoff home run, cemented his status as a star among stars. Bo led the Royals with a career-best 32 home runs and 105 RBI during that 1989 season, then led the club again with 28 home runs in 1990.

“I’m so happy for my friend Bobo to get that call” said Hall of Famer and 13-time All-Star&nbsp;George Brett. “He was a great teammate and probably the most exciting player I ever played with. You’d see things that no other human could do on a baseball field or a football field. He’s one of the greatest athletes of our time, and it’s an honor to welcome him to the Royals Hall of Fame, where he belongs.”

Jackson suffered a hip injury playing for the Los Angeles Raiders in an NFL playoff game in January of 1991 which soon ended his Royals career. But where injury may have robbed Jackson’s playing days of longevity, he and his supreme talent delivered moments and memories few athletes will ever match.&nbsp;

For additional information, members of the media may contact&nbsp;Curt Nelson, Senior Director-Royals Hall of Fame, at (816) 504-4337 or at via email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:curt.nelson@royals.com">curt.nelson@royals.com</a>.

The Royals Hall of Fame was established in 1986 to celebrate the accomplishments of players, coaches and other personnel who have made exceptional contributions to Kansas City Royals Baseball.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591095847004.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas City RoyalsKANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals today announced that All-Star outfielder&nbsp;Bo Jackson&nbsp;has been elected into the Royals Hall of Fame. Jackson will be inducted during an on-field ceremony on Saturday, June 29 prior to the Royals game that afternoon vs. the Cleveland Guardians.Jackson was placed on the ballot by the Royals Hall of Fame Executive Board and elected through the Royals Hall of Fame Veterans Committee voting process. The veterans committee vote considers the candidacy of non-field personnel in addition to players and managers no longer eligible for election by Regular Phase Royals Hall of Fame Voting. The committee consists of 16 voting members selected by the board, comprised of Royals Hall of Fame Members, Royals Club Executives and media members. Candidates must be named on at least 75% of all ballots cast to be elected.Jackson, the 1985 Heisman Trophy winner at Auburn University, shocked the sports world by initially spurning pro football to instead sign with the Royals in 1986. Kansas City had selected Jackson in the 4th round of the 1986 First Year Player Draft, a signing which resulted from the determined commitment of scout&nbsp;Ken Gonzales. On his official scouting report, Gonzales summarized Jackson as the “greatest pure athlete in America today.” The then-Royals Director of Scouting,&nbsp;Art Stewart, said, “It was Kenny’s relationship with the family that resulted in our signing Bo.”Once signed, Jackson was a phenomenon unlike any player before. He made his Major League debut on Sept. 2, 1986, and recorded his 1st career hit. His 1st home run on Sept. 14, 1986 traveled an estimated 475 feet, which at the time was the longest ever hit at Royals Stadium. It was just the start of a string of near-superhuman athletic feats that made Bo not just a star for the Royals, but a cultural sensation.Jackson scaled walls and launched throws like a superhero. His remarkable Most Valuable Player performance at the 1989 MLB All-Star Game, which included a memorable leadoff home run, cemented his status as a star among stars. Bo led the Royals with a career-best 32 home runs and 105 RBI during that 1989 season, then led the club again with 28 home runs in 1990.“I’m so happy for my friend Bobo to get that call” said Hall of Famer and 13-time All-Star&nbsp;George Brett. “He was a great teammate and probably the most exciting player I ever played with. You’d see things that no other human could do on a baseball field or a football field. He’s one of the greatest athletes of our time, and it’s an honor to welcome him to the Royals Hall of Fame, where he belongs.”Jackson suffered a hip injury playing for the Los Angeles Raiders in an NFL playoff game in January of 1991 which soon ended his Royals career. But where injury may have robbed Jackson’s playing days of longevity, he and his supreme talent delivered moments and memories few athletes will ever match.&nbsp;For additional information, members of the media may contact&nbsp;Curt Nelson, Senior Director-Royals Hall of Fame, at (816) 504-4337 or at via email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:curt.nelson@royals.com">curt.nelson@royals.com</a>.The Royals Hall of Fame was established in 1986 to celebrate the accomplishments of players, coaches and other personnel who have made exceptional contributions to Kansas City Royals Baseball.

⚾ Bo Jackson elected to Royals Hall of Fame

Wednesday, March 13
 KAYS: Kansas basketball vs. Cincinnati, 7:00pm

Thursday, March 14
 KAYS: Kansas basketball (if win 3/13) vs. Baylor, 7:00pm

Friday, March 15
 KJLS: Fort Hays State women vs. NW Missouri State, 11:35am
 KAYS: Kansas basketball (if win 3/14) vs. TBD, 7:00pm

Wednesday, March 13
 KAYS: Kansas basketball vs. Cincinnati, 7:00pmThursday, March 14
 KAYS: Kansas basketball (if win 3/13) vs. Baylor, 7:00pmFriday, March 15
 KJLS: Fort Hays State women vs. NW Missouri State, 11:35am
 KAYS: Kansas basketball (if win 3/14) vs. TBD, 7:00pm Saturday, March 16
 KJLS: Fort Hays State men vs. Minnesota Duluth, 11:30am

KAYS: Kansas basketball (if win 3/15) vs. TBD, 3:30pm
 KJLS: Fort Hays State women&nbsp; (if win 3/15) vs.
MWSU/MSU, 4:35pmSunday, March 17
 KJLS: Fort Hays State men (if win 3/16) vs. NMSU/SMSU, 4:30pm

The Fort Hays State women's basketball team takes on Central Missouri in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Tournament on Friday, March 8, 2024 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.

The Fort Hays State women's basketball team takes on Central Missouri in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Tournament on Friday, March 8, 2024 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.<div><iframe title="FHSU Rewind-WBB vs. Central Missouri (March 8, 2024)" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=bdwtr-15ab5d0-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=2" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 Defend the Fort Podcast: FHSU Rewind-WBB vs. Central Missouri (March 8, 2024)

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=baseball&amp;id=12896">BOX SCORE</a>

WICHITA, Kan.. – The Fort Hays State baseball team delivered an outstanding performance against Newman University Tuesday, beating the Jets 18-3 in a game called after seven innings by run-rule.

Brady Kreutzer and Elliott Herrmann led the offensive onslaught combining for nine hits and seven RBIs. Kreutzer hits for the cycle going 4-4 with a home run, triple, double, two RBIs along with two walks and four runs scored. Kreutzer's cycle is the first for the Tigers since Jay Sanders did it back in April of 2013 against Washburn in Topeka, Kan.

Trey DeGarmo got the Tigers going early, hitting a double to left field, scoring Kreutzer in the first. Herrmann then cleared the bases with a three run home run to center field. Newman struck back in the first, scoring two on three hits. Kreutzer got his home run early in the second inning, with the Jets evening the home run up with one of their own.

The Tigers' offensive explosion came true in the fourth, scoring four on five hits. Hits included home runs from Jamison Armstrong and Isaiah Ural&nbsp;and a Kreutzer double. Pinch hitter Shaun Gomez&nbsp;went 2-2 with a home run and two RBI. Kreutzer was able to tally an RBI triple in the fifth, before finishing his cycle with a sixth inning single. Herrmann finished 5-5 with two home runs, a double and five RBIs.

Andrew Hansen&nbsp;got the start and pitched 2 2/3 innings giving up three earned runs. Dylan Rinker&nbsp;came in to relieve him and pitched a scoreless 2.1 innings, giving up just one hit. Tanner Vauhn and Will Isaly&nbsp;both tallied an inning of work, both giving up no hits.

The victory extends Fort Hays State's win streak to six games and improves their record to 18-6 (6-4 MIAA). The Tigers have scored a combined&nbsp;33 runs the past three games. 

The Tigers have a tough road series away, facing Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Okla. The Tigers don't return home until their next game of the season series between Newman, scheduled for Tuesday, March 26, at 1:00 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710294554138.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=baseball&amp;id=12896">BOX SCORE</a>WICHITA, Kan.. – The Fort Hays State baseball team delivered an outstanding performance against Newman University Tuesday, beating the Jets 18-3 in a game called after seven innings by run-rule.Brady Kreutzer and Elliott Herrmann led the offensive onslaught combining for nine hits and seven RBIs. Kreutzer hits for the cycle going 4-4 with a home run, triple, double, two RBIs along with two walks and four runs scored. Kreutzer's cycle is the first for the Tigers since Jay Sanders did it back in April of 2013 against Washburn in Topeka, Kan.Trey DeGarmo got the Tigers going early, hitting a double to left field, scoring Kreutzer in the first. Herrmann then cleared the bases with a three run home run to center field. Newman struck back in the first, scoring two on three hits. Kreutzer got his home run early in the second inning, with the Jets evening the home run up with one of their own.The Tigers' offensive explosion came true in the fourth, scoring four on five hits. Hits included home runs from Jamison Armstrong and Isaiah Ural&nbsp;and a Kreutzer double. Pinch hitter Shaun Gomez&nbsp;went 2-2 with a home run and two RBI. Kreutzer was able to tally an RBI triple in the fifth, before finishing his cycle with a sixth inning single. Herrmann finished 5-5 with two home runs, a double and five RBIs.Andrew Hansen&nbsp;got the start and pitched 2 2/3 innings giving up three earned runs. Dylan Rinker&nbsp;came in to relieve him and pitched a scoreless 2.1 innings, giving up just one hit. Tanner Vauhn and Will Isaly&nbsp;both tallied an inning of work, both giving up no hits.The victory extends Fort Hays State's win streak to six games and improves their record to 18-6 (6-4 MIAA). The Tigers have scored a combined&nbsp;33 runs the past three games. UP NEXTThe Tigers have a tough road series away, facing Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Okla. The Tigers don't return home until their next game of the season series between Newman, scheduled for Tuesday, March 26, at 1:00 p.m.

⚾ Kreutzer hits for cycle as Tigers soar by Jets

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The Big 12 men's and women's basketball tournaments will remain at T-Mobile Center through 2031, commissioner Brett Yormark said Tuesday night, shortly before Texas and Iowa State played for the women's title in the building for the first time.

The women's tournament had long been played down the street from the glitzy downtown arena at Municipal Auditorium, which has tremendous history as one of the homes of early NCAA championship games but has grown antiquated over time.

One of Yormark's priorities after taking over leadership of the Big 12 was to raise the profile of the women's tournament, and that meant moving it to the T-Mobile Center. That also required moving the dates of the championship, with early-round games occurring last week and the title game Tuesday night following the first two games of the men's tournament.

“I think I said to many last year, when I came here the first time to the community, met with many of the leaders, it was a real easy decision when I went back to Dallas that we needed to double down on this community,” Yormark said. “It feels like a Super Bowl each time we're here. The fan support is tremendous. The community is tremendous.”

The men's and women's tournaments were scheduled to be played in Kansas City through 2027, so the extension amounts to four years. But it also comes as the league expands its footprint west with Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah replacing Oklahoma and Texas in the league, and that gave the Big 12 other hosting options such as Las Vegas and Phoenix.

In fact, the Big 12 will be holding its football media days in Las Vegas later this year.

“We are a national conference now. We're in 10 states, four time zones,” Yormark said. “When it comes to men's and women's basketball, and women's soccer, this needed to be our home. We're going to football media day in Vegas, which we are excited about, and there will be other opportunities to move closer to that footprint, but we needed to be in Kansas City.”

Along with the basketball tournaments, Yormark announced that the Big 12 women's soccer championship was moving to CPKC Stadium. The first stadium facility built for a women's professional soccer club in the U.S. — in this case, the Kansas City Current of the National Women's Soccer League — is scheduled to open Saturday when the Current plays Portland.

“It's an amazing time to be in Kansas City, and it's an amazing time to invest in Kansas City,” said Mayor Quinton Lucas, who has been supportive of an April ballot issue to renew a sales tax that would help fund renovations to Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the Super Bowl champion Chiefs, along with a new downtown ballpark for the Royals.

“The Big 12 Conference is part of Kansas City's DNA. We all have stories about the Big 12, or if we're old enough, the Big Eight here in Kansas City," Lucas said. "We're excited to continue to share the story in Kansas City.”

In other news, Yormark said the lame-duck status of Oklahoma and Texas, which are departing for the SEC after this season, has not created any challenges even as the Big 12 looks toward the future as a revamped 16-team league.

“Texas and Oklahoma, great contributors to the conference. Been here since Day 1,” Yormark said. “They're finishing strong, obviously, and when the time comes, we'll wish them well. But there's never been a better time to be part of this conference.”

Yormark also indicated that he would be in favor of expanding the NCAA Tournament.

"I read what you read, and from what I've been told, and what I'm reading, there could be modest expansion. I think 76 is the number that has been out there," he said. “The data shows if you expand to 76, the power-four conferences will benefit mostly, and that includes the Big 12. I'm all about access. We have the deepest conference in America.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710290857109.jpeg" alt="Photo Big 12 Conference" />
 <figcaption>Photo Big 12 Conference</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — The Big 12 men's and women's basketball tournaments will remain at T-Mobile Center through 2031, commissioner Brett Yormark said Tuesday night, shortly before Texas and Iowa State played for the women's title in the building for the first time.The women's tournament had long been played down the street from the glitzy downtown arena at Municipal Auditorium, which has tremendous history as one of the homes of early NCAA championship games but has grown antiquated over time.One of Yormark's priorities after taking over leadership of the Big 12 was to raise the profile of the women's tournament, and that meant moving it to the T-Mobile Center. That also required moving the dates of the championship, with early-round games occurring last week and the title game Tuesday night following the first two games of the men's tournament.“I think I said to many last year, when I came here the first time to the community, met with many of the leaders, it was a real easy decision when I went back to Dallas that we needed to double down on this community,” Yormark said. “It feels like a Super Bowl each time we're here. The fan support is tremendous. The community is tremendous.”The men's and women's tournaments were scheduled to be played in Kansas City through 2027, so the extension amounts to four years. But it also comes as the league expands its footprint west with Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah replacing Oklahoma and Texas in the league, and that gave the Big 12 other hosting options such as Las Vegas and Phoenix.In fact, the Big 12 will be holding its football media days in Las Vegas later this year.“We are a national conference now. We're in 10 states, four time zones,” Yormark said. “When it comes to men's and women's basketball, and women's soccer, this needed to be our home. We're going to football media day in Vegas, which we are excited about, and there will be other opportunities to move closer to that footprint, but we needed to be in Kansas City.”Along with the basketball tournaments, Yormark announced that the Big 12 women's soccer championship was moving to CPKC Stadium. The first stadium facility built for a women's professional soccer club in the U.S. — in this case, the Kansas City Current of the National Women's Soccer League — is scheduled to open Saturday when the Current plays Portland.“It's an amazing time to be in Kansas City, and it's an amazing time to invest in Kansas City,” said Mayor Quinton Lucas, who has been supportive of an April ballot issue to renew a sales tax that would help fund renovations to Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the Super Bowl champion Chiefs, along with a new downtown ballpark for the Royals.“The Big 12 Conference is part of Kansas City's DNA. We all have stories about the Big 12, or if we're old enough, the Big Eight here in Kansas City," Lucas said. "We're excited to continue to share the story in Kansas City.”In other news, Yormark said the lame-duck status of Oklahoma and Texas, which are departing for the SEC after this season, has not created any challenges even as the Big 12 looks toward the future as a revamped 16-team league.“Texas and Oklahoma, great contributors to the conference. Been here since Day 1,” Yormark said. “They're finishing strong, obviously, and when the time comes, we'll wish them well. But there's never been a better time to be part of this conference.”Yormark also indicated that he would be in favor of expanding the NCAA Tournament."I read what you read, and from what I've been told, and what I'm reading, there could be modest expansion. I think 76 is the number that has been out there," he said. “The data shows if you expand to 76, the power-four conferences will benefit mostly, and that includes the Big 12. I'm all about access. We have the deepest conference in America.”___

Big 12 men's and women's tournaments to remain in Kansas City through 2031

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State is ranked No. 19 in the NABC Top 25 Poll as it enters the NCAA Division II National Tournament this weekend in Mankato, Minn. The Tigers will be participating in the Central Regional, hosted by the region's top-ranked team Minnesota State. The Tigers hold a record of 23-7 and make their eighth appearance in the NCAA Tournament under head coach Mark Johnson. This is the seventh-straight week the Tigers have been in the NABC Top 25.

Fort Hays State will be making its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2016. The Tigers have won at least 21 games each of the last three seasons. They have reached 23 wins for the sixth time under Mark Johnson.

The Tigers are coming off a loss to Pittsburg State in the MIAA Tournament Semifinals this past Saturday in Kansas City. The Tigers' regular season resume was strong enough this year to get into the NCAA Central Regional as one of five at-large bids, after being left out of the field each of the last two years despite strong bodies of work in both 2021-22 and 2022-23.

Fort Hays State and Northwest Missouri State continue to represent the MIAA in the Top 25 of the NABC poll. NWMSU is No. 4 once again this week, holding its ground after winning the MIAA Tournament title to go with its regular season title. With its hot streak to get into the national tournament, Pittsburg State moved up in the receiving votes list this week.

The Central Regional of the NCAA Tournament will feature five NABC Top 25 ranked teams. Tournament host Minnesota State is the No. 2 ranked team in the country, followed by Northwest Missouri State at No. 4, Minnesota Duluth at No. 10, MSU Moorhead at No. 11, and Fort Hays State at No. 19. The South Central Regional is the only other regional in the NCAA Tournament that will have the same amount of top 25 teams competing. The Atlantic and Southeast regions each have four top 25 teams. Those four regions out of eight total combine for 18 of the NABC Top 25 teams nationally.

Rank	Team	Record	Points	Prev 1	Nova Southeastern (Fla.) (15)	27-2	399	1 2	Minnesota State	29-2	381	2 3	Gannon, Pa.	29-2	358	3 4	Northwest Missouri State (1)	27-4	355	4 5	Fort Lewis, Colo.	28-3	337	6 6	Colorado Mesa	27-4	295	5 7	Charleston, W.Va.	27-4	275	12 8	California, Pa.	27-4	274	8 9	West Texas A&amp;M	26-4	271	7 10	Minnesota Duluth	25-6	227	9 11	MSU Moorhead, Minn.	24-5	219	11 12	Dallas Baptist, Texas	24-5	213	10 13	West Georgia	26-5	200	18 14	North Georgia	25-6	180	20 15	St. Thomas Aquinas, N.Y.	25-5	178	15 16	West Liberty, W.Va.	25-6	167	13 17	Cal State LA	24-7	124	NR 18	USC Aiken, S.C.	23-6	111	17 19	Fort Hays State, Kan.	23-7	96	16 20	Cal State San Bernardino	23-7	82	19 21	Indianapolis, Ind.	22-8	78	23 22	Walsh, Ohio	24-5	63	24 23	Colorado School of Mines	24-8	52	21 24	UNC Pembroke, N.C.	23-6	45	NR 25	Catawba, N.C.	22-5	43	NR

Receiving Votes: Saint Michael's (Vt.) 39, East Stroudsburg (Pa.) 34, Emmanuel (Ga.) 21, Pittsburg State (Kan.) 13, Eastern New Mexico 12, Benedict (S.C.) 11, Upper Iowa 9, Ferris State (Mich.) 8, Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) 8, Concord (W.Va.) 6, Florida Southern 5, Cal State Dominguez Hills 4, Daemen (N.Y.) 4, Kentucky Wesleyan 4, Minot State (N.C.) 3, Montana State-Billings 3, William Jewell (Mo.) 3, Lubbock Christian (Texas) 2, Winona State (Minn.) 2.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710276527457.jpeg" alt="

FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett" />
 <figcaption>

FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsKANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State is ranked No. 19 in the NABC Top 25 Poll as it enters the NCAA Division II National Tournament this weekend in Mankato, Minn. The Tigers will be participating in the Central Regional, hosted by the region's top-ranked team Minnesota State. The Tigers hold a record of 23-7 and make their eighth appearance in the NCAA Tournament under head coach Mark Johnson. This is the seventh-straight week the Tigers have been in the NABC Top 25.Fort Hays State will be making its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2016. The Tigers have won at least 21 games each of the last three seasons. They have reached 23 wins for the sixth time under Mark Johnson.The Tigers are coming off a loss to Pittsburg State in the MIAA Tournament Semifinals this past Saturday in Kansas City. The Tigers' regular season resume was strong enough this year to get into the NCAA Central Regional as one of five at-large bids, after being left out of the field each of the last two years despite strong bodies of work in both 2021-22 and 2022-23.Fort Hays State and Northwest Missouri State continue to represent the MIAA in the Top 25 of the NABC poll. NWMSU is No. 4 once again this week, holding its ground after winning the MIAA Tournament title to go with its regular season title. With its hot streak to get into the national tournament, Pittsburg State moved up in the receiving votes list this week.The Central Regional of the NCAA Tournament will feature five NABC Top 25 ranked teams. Tournament host Minnesota State is the No. 2 ranked team in the country, followed by Northwest Missouri State at No. 4, Minnesota Duluth at No. 10, MSU Moorhead at No. 11, and Fort Hays State at No. 19. The South Central Regional is the only other regional in the NCAA Tournament that will have the same amount of top 25 teams competing. The Atlantic and Southeast regions each have four top 25 teams. Those four regions out of eight total combine for 18 of the NABC Top 25 teams nationally.Below is the latest NABC Top 25 Poll.Rank	Team	Record	Points	Prev 1	Nova Southeastern (Fla.) (15)	27-2	399	1 2	Minnesota State	29-2	381	2 3	Gannon, Pa.	29-2	358	3 4	Northwest Missouri State (1)	27-4	355	4 5	Fort Lewis, Colo.	28-3	337	6 6	Colorado Mesa	27-4	295	5 7	Charleston, W.Va.	27-4	275	12 8	California, Pa.	27-4	274	8 9	West Texas A&amp;M	26-4	271	7 10	Minnesota Duluth	25-6	227	9 11	MSU Moorhead, Minn.	24-5	219	11 12	Dallas Baptist, Texas	24-5	213	10 13	West Georgia	26-5	200	18 14	North Georgia	25-6	180	20 15	St. Thomas Aquinas, N.Y.	25-5	178	15 16	West Liberty, W.Va.	25-6	167	13 17	Cal State LA	24-7	124	NR 18	USC Aiken, S.C.	23-6	111	17 19	Fort Hays State, Kan.	23-7	96	16 20	Cal State San Bernardino	23-7	82	19 21	Indianapolis, Ind.	22-8	78	23 22	Walsh, Ohio	24-5	63	24 23	Colorado School of Mines	24-8	52	21 24	UNC Pembroke, N.C.	23-6	45	NR 25	Catawba, N.C.	22-5	43	NRReceiving Votes: Saint Michael's (Vt.) 39, East Stroudsburg (Pa.) 34, Emmanuel (Ga.) 21, Pittsburg State (Kan.) 13, Eastern New Mexico 12, Benedict (S.C.) 11, Upper Iowa 9, Ferris State (Mich.) 8, Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) 8, Concord (W.Va.) 6, Florida Southern 5, Cal State Dominguez Hills 4, Daemen (N.Y.) 4, Kentucky Wesleyan 4, Minot State (N.C.) 3, Montana State-Billings 3, William Jewell (Mo.) 3, Lubbock Christian (Texas) 2, Winona State (Minn.) 2.

🏀 Tigers enter NCAA Tournament ranked No. 19 in NABC Top 25 Poll

OWASSO, Okla. – The Fort Hays State men's golf team started up their spring season with a fourth-place finish on Tuesday (March 12) at the Hillcat Classic hosted by Rogers State. The tournament was played at Bailey Ranch Golf Course which totaled 6,705 yards and was a par-72 course.

Fort Hays State as a team tied for first after a round one score of 286, the best team score in over 15 years. This marks the third time this year that Fort Hays State has posted a score at-or-under par. The Tigers finished 18-over par with a total of 905 strokes. Fort Hays State was able to climb one spot on the leaderboard in the final round and placed fourth in the tournament and second in MIAA teams. Cooper Scheck, Jackson Rader, Cole Streck, and Parker Krob each secured eagles during the tournament, propelling the team to achieve the highest number of eagles throughout the event.

The Tigers were led by Cooper Scheck who was a top ten performer shooting just 3-over par during the tournament. He ended up tying for sixth place while shooting rounds of 70, 76, and 73, marking the first top 10 finish by a Tiger all season. Scheck led the team with ten birdies in the tournament, nine coming for rounds one and three. Cole Streck and Jackson Rader both turned in top-30 performances turning in scorecards of 14-over par and 16-over par. Scheck had a phenomenal first and third round, going 2-under par over the first-round while shooting five birdies. He finished his third round 1-over par while hitting four birdies. Streck saw himself having a superior first round as well, hitting five birdies while going even. Rader shot his best round in round three with a 2-over par, 74. Rader carded nine birdies in his three rounds of play.

Parker Krob tied for 33rd place after shooting an 18-over par in the tournament. Krob had a great first round, going even and had three birdies. Krob had round scores of 72, 84, and 78 and led the Tigers in total pars with 32. Tanner Copeland finished just a few spots behind Krob, finishing in 39th place. Copeland got off to a great start with a 72 in round one while shooting four birdies. He finished the tournament with an 86 and 83 in the last two rounds. Jacob George finished in 42nd place after shooting a 246. George finished round two at just 13-over par while recording three birdies in the second round.

Jackson Cole of Arkansas Tech took home the individual title after shooting a 6-under par, four strokes ahead of the next spot on the leaderboard. Cole raced out to a great start on the tournament with a 70 to start the competition. He followed round one with the best round score of the tournament at 68. Rogers State clinched the team title after five of their six players finished in the top 10. They finished at 5-under par as a team.

The team will look forward to the NSIC Conference Preview Invitational hosted in Blue Springs, Mo. This event is scheduled for Monday (March 25) to Tuesday (Maech 26).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710276230160.jpeg" alt="

FHSU Athletics photo" />
 <figcaption>

FHSU Athletics photo</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsOWASSO, Okla. – The Fort Hays State men's golf team started up their spring season with a fourth-place finish on Tuesday (March 12) at the Hillcat Classic hosted by Rogers State. The tournament was played at Bailey Ranch Golf Course which totaled 6,705 yards and was a par-72 course.Fort Hays State as a team tied for first after a round one score of 286, the best team score in over 15 years. This marks the third time this year that Fort Hays State has posted a score at-or-under par. The Tigers finished 18-over par with a total of 905 strokes. Fort Hays State was able to climb one spot on the leaderboard in the final round and placed fourth in the tournament and second in MIAA teams. Cooper Scheck, Jackson Rader, Cole Streck, and Parker Krob each secured eagles during the tournament, propelling the team to achieve the highest number of eagles throughout the event.The Tigers were led by Cooper Scheck who was a top ten performer shooting just 3-over par during the tournament. He ended up tying for sixth place while shooting rounds of 70, 76, and 73, marking the first top 10 finish by a Tiger all season. Scheck led the team with ten birdies in the tournament, nine coming for rounds one and three. Cole Streck and Jackson Rader both turned in top-30 performances turning in scorecards of 14-over par and 16-over par. Scheck had a phenomenal first and third round, going 2-under par over the first-round while shooting five birdies. He finished his third round 1-over par while hitting four birdies. Streck saw himself having a superior first round as well, hitting five birdies while going even. Rader shot his best round in round three with a 2-over par, 74. Rader carded nine birdies in his three rounds of play.Parker Krob tied for 33rd place after shooting an 18-over par in the tournament. Krob had a great first round, going even and had three birdies. Krob had round scores of 72, 84, and 78 and led the Tigers in total pars with 32. Tanner Copeland finished just a few spots behind Krob, finishing in 39th place. Copeland got off to a great start with a 72 in round one while shooting four birdies. He finished the tournament with an 86 and 83 in the last two rounds. Jacob George finished in 42nd place after shooting a 246. George finished round two at just 13-over par while recording three birdies in the second round.Jackson Cole of Arkansas Tech took home the individual title after shooting a 6-under par, four strokes ahead of the next spot on the leaderboard. Cole raced out to a great start on the tournament with a 70 to start the competition. He followed round one with the best round score of the tournament at 68. Rogers State clinched the team title after five of their six players finished in the top 10. They finished at 5-under par as a team.The team will look forward to the NSIC Conference Preview Invitational hosted in Blue Springs, Mo. This event is scheduled for Monday (March 25) to Tuesday (Maech 26).

⛳ FHSU's Scheck ties for sixth, men Finish fourth to start spring season

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Fort Hays State first baseman Elliott Herrmann was named the MIAA Co-Hitter of the Week on Tuesday (March 12) for his efforts over five games last week.

Elliott Herrmann drove in 14 runs and scored five runs in five Tiger victories last week. He drove in runs in all five contests for the Tigers, with at least two in all five games. In a non-conference doubleheader against Upper Iowa, he drove in six runs which included a pair of sacrifice fly RBIs, a bases loaded walk, and a three-run home run. He had eight RBIs in the three-game series with Northeastern State, hitting a pair of solo home runs, a two-run double, a two-run single, a one-run single, and an RBI groundout.

For the week, Herrmann went 8-for-15 (.533) with three extra-base hits. He struck out just once in 20 plate appearances.

Herrmann shared the Hitter of the Week honors with Max Holy of Central Missouri.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710273015768.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsKANSAS CITY, Mo. - Fort Hays State first baseman Elliott Herrmann was named the MIAA Co-Hitter of the Week on Tuesday (March 12) for his efforts over five games last week.Elliott Herrmann drove in 14 runs and scored five runs in five Tiger victories last week. He drove in runs in all five contests for the Tigers, with at least two in all five games. In a non-conference doubleheader against Upper Iowa, he drove in six runs which included a pair of sacrifice fly RBIs, a bases loaded walk, and a three-run home run. He had eight RBIs in the three-game series with Northeastern State, hitting a pair of solo home runs, a two-run double, a two-run single, a one-run single, and an RBI groundout.For the week, Herrmann went 8-for-15 (.533) with three extra-base hits. He struck out just once in 20 plate appearances.Herrmann shared the Hitter of the Week honors with Max Holy of Central Missouri.

⚾ FHSU's Herrmann named MIAA Co-Hitter of the Week

The Fort Hays State men's basketball team takes on Lincoln in the quarterfinals of the 2024 MIAA Championships on Thursday, March 7, 2024 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.

The Fort Hays State men's basketball team takes on Lincoln in the quarterfinals of the 2024 MIAA Championships on Thursday, March 7, 2024 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.<div><iframe title="FHSU Rewind-MBB vs. Lincoln (March 7, 2024)" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=e9waj-15a9e99-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=2" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

Sports