FHSU Athletics
EDMOND, Okla. - The Fort Hays State baseball team came up one run short in its series opener at Central Oklahoma on Friday, losing 3-2. The Tigers (9-20, 6-13 MIAA) outhit the Bronchos (14-15, 5-10 MIAA) by four, 9-5, but 12 free bases helped UCO secure the home win.
Antonio Avila led off with a double but was stranded at third in the top of the first. UCO also had a runner reach third with two outs in the home half of the inning, with the Bronchos manufacturing the first run of the game after two walks, two sacrifice bunts and a single.
The Tigers responded with a pair of runs in the top of the third, pulling in front 2-1. Erick Ordonez worked a one-out walk before sprinting home on a triple from Tytin Goebel. Bret Deegan kept things rolling with a single, giving FHSU the lead, before Derek Woolwine worked a walk. But the Bronchos were able to escape the inning without further damage after a strikeout and a foul out.
A two-out walk followed by a single put runners on the corners before the Bronchos tied the game with a first-and-third stolen base play. Two more walks loaded the bases, but starter Tucker Russell kept things tied with a flyout to center.
Russell allowed lone singles in the next two innings before getting the first two outs in the sixth on groundouts. A hit-by-pitch and a walk kept the inning going before a Tiger error helped the home team pull in front, 3-2. Two-out singles in the seventh from Ordonez and Goebel knocked out UCO starter Danny Satterlee before the Broncho bullpen got out of the jam with a groundout.
Dylan Haselhorst led off the ninth with a single and moved up 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt, but Broncho closer Mylan Childers completed the win with back-to-back strikeouts.
Goebel and Mac Bowie tallied two hits each in the game. Russell (2-2) took the loss after allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits and eight walks over 5.2 innings of work. Caleb Camp tossed 2.1 scoreless innings out of the pen, striking out two while giving up one hit and three walks.
The Tigers and Bronchos will continue the series on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. before the weekend wraps up on Sunday at noon.