FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State baseball team opened the 2025 season with a pair of victories over Adams State on Saturday, defeating the Grizzlies 11-7 in the opener before scoring the final 10 runs in a 10-2 win in the nightcap. Elliott Herrmann mashed three home runs on the day, including a pair of three-run shots. The first baseman and true freshman Tony Noore tied for the team lead with four hits on the day.
GAME 1 BOX SCORE
GAME 2 BOX SCORE
Game 1: Fort Hays State 11, Adams State 7
Starting pitcher Ty Riley, a first team All-MIAA pick a year ago, set the tone early, retiring the side in order in the top of the first with two strikeouts. The FHSU offense wasted no time taking control, with Herrmann giving the Tigers the lead with a two-out, no-doubt home run to left field, driving in a pair.
Riley (1-0) struck out five batters the first time through the order, ultimately finishing the day with eight punchouts over 4 innings pitched to secure the win. The senior worked out of a pair of two-on, one-out jams to put up zeros in the third and fourth innings.
The Tigers added four more runs in the third when Isaiah Ural reached on a dropped third strike to lead the frame. Brady Kreutzer followed with a single before Defek Woolwine and Herrmann roped off back-to-back doubles, each driving in one. Tyson Jimenez added another RBI later in the inning on a groundout, giving the Tigers a 4-0 lead.
Fort Hays State tacked on three more runs in the fourth with another two-out home run from Herrmann. This time he drove in three, with Moore and Woolwine scoring after doubling and walking, respectively.
Cooper Howell opened a two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out walk. Moore followed with a single to center before Ural plated the pair with a double to right center.
Rylan Rinker came out of the pen in the fifth inning and tossed two solid innings, retiring the side in order in the fifth and working around a leadoff walk in the sixth. The Grizzlies managed to get to Rinker in the seventh, however, rallying for seven runs to trim the deficit to 11-7.With two on and two out, Spencer Maley came on to record the save, inducing an infield pop up that wrapped up the win.
Herrmann led the Tigers with three hits and six RBI in the victory, with Moore adding two base hits and two runs.
Game 2: Fort Hays State 10, Adams State 2
After a quick start to the season opener, it took until the sixth inning for the Tigers to light up the scoreboard in the nightcap. Tiger starter Cade Flaherty and ASU starter Connor Murray were both sharp from the jump, with neither allowing a hit in either of the first two innings.
Adams State took advantage of a pair of walks in the top of the third when leadoff man Christian Altamirano delivered a triple to the wall in right, giving the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead.
The Tigers managed a pair of hits in both the third and fourth inning but were unable to push across any runs. Fort Hays State finally broke through in the sixth when Howell led off with a single up the middle. Kreutzer added a single two batters later before Herrmann crushed a 2-0 pitch soaring over the fence in left center, propelling the Tigers to a 3-2 lead. Trey DeGarmo kept the rally going with a single to left and then scored on a base hit by Luis Ayala.
After Flaherty worked 4 innings, allowing two runs on one hit and three walks with a pair of strikeouts, Mike Acierno and Brandon Chavez combined to toss five scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Acierno worked the fifth and sixth innings, allowing one hit while walking two to earn the win. Chavez picked up the save after retiring nine of the 10 batters he faced, giving up just one hit and striking out a pair.
The floodgates remained open for the Tigers in the seventh, with FHSU rattling off six runs on four hits and three free passes. Moore led off with a double before coming in to score on another double from Ural. DeGarmo worked a bases-loaded walk later in the inning before Ayala drove in a pair with a single. Tytin Goebel followed with his first base hit as a Tiger, driving in Ayala with a double down the left field line to put the Tigers up 10-2.Kreutzer, Ayala and Moore all tallied a pair of hits in the win, with Herrmann and Ayala both plating three runs.
UP NEXT
The Tigers and Grizzlies will wrap up the series Sunday with another doubleheader beginning at noon.