Mar 17, 2022

🥎 Tigers split home opener with Bison

Posted Mar 17, 2022 1:25 AM
Kelly Lindsey had three hits and scored three runs in the Tigers game one win over Oklahoma Baptist Wednesday at Tiger Stadium (Courtesy FHSU Athletics, Ryan Prickett)
Kelly Lindsey had three hits and scored three runs in the Tigers game one win over Oklahoma Baptist Wednesday at Tiger Stadium (Courtesy FHSU Athletics, Ryan Prickett)

FHSU Athletics

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State split its home-opening doubleheader with Oklahoma Baptist on Wednesday (Mar. 16) at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers scored a season-high 16 runs to win the first contest 16-9 before falling in the second game 2-0. The Tigers are now 11-15 overall on the season, while the Bison moved to 17-10 overall.

Fort Hays State 16, Oklahoma Baptist 9
Fort Hays State jumped out to a comfortable 5-0 lead after scoring two runs in the second and three in the third. Regan Curry opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly RBI and Adysen Burghart followed with an RBI single. An inning later, Jessica Espinoza notched an RBI single and Curry added two more RBIs on a single.

Savanah Egger held the Bison hitless through the first three innings, but things started to unravel in the fourth when she hit a batter and gave up a double. Two straight walks forced the first run in for OBU, then a Tiger throwing error on a play that would have cut down the runner at the plate allowed two more to score. Erika Flynn then entered to get a line out and pop out, which should have been the end of the inning, but with the earlier error extended the inning. The Bison drove home three more runs on a pair of singles, taking a 6-5 lead.

The Tigers fought right back in the bottom half of the fourth and got all six runs back, pushing the run total in the fourth inning to 12 overall between the two teams. Three straight singles by Kiana BlakeLindsey Kelly, and Espinoza (her second RBI single) put the Tigers back even at 6-6. Loren Beggs and Sara Breckbill were both hit by pitches to put the Tigers back on top 7-6. A pair of wild pitches plated two more runs for the Tigers, Curry picked up her fourth RBI on a fielder's choice, and the Tigers capped the inning by scoring on a passed ball. FHSU led 11-6 after four innings.

The Bison scored twice in the fifth and once in the sixth to get back within two. Adrian Pilkington turned the ball back over to Egger with one out and she went on to retire OBU's last five batters of the game to preserve the win. Since she didn't throw enough innings in the start to qualify for a win, she ended up saving the game she started and Flynn picked up her second win of the season. It was Egger's second save of the season.

The Tigers gave Egger plenty of cushion to work with in the seventh as they tacked on five extra runs. Blake had a two-RBI double. She later scored on a dropped throw by the second baseman covering first on an infield single by Kelly. Beggs jumped into the RBI act with a pair on a single up the middle.

Four Tigers finished with multiple RBIs in the game, while Espinoza and Kelly led the hitting effort for FHSU with three each. Both also scored three runs each.

Aspen Younce took the loss for OBU by giving up eight runs in three innings of work. Shianne Eddings relieved for an inning and gave up three, while Aileen Avelar gave up the final five in two innings of work.

Oklahoma Baptist 2, Fort Hays State 0
With all the offense the Tigers put up in game one, they could not find much against a nemesis that has had their number for two straight years now. Kayleigh Jones threw her fourth-consecutive shutout against the Tigers (two this year and two last year), running her scoreless streak against the Tigers to 28 innings with 36 strikeouts. She struck out 11 Tigers on Wednesday in her winning effort, moving to 12-5 on the season.

The Tigers managed only three hits against Jones, though they did draw three walks as well. Baserunning mistakes in both the third and fourth innings cost the Tigers potential opportunities to score runs, but Jones retired the final seven batters of the game to secure a low-scoring win for the Bison.

Morgan Schmidt had a strong outing in the pitching circle, allowing just one earned run of two total to the Bison. She notched six strikeouts, while allowing eight hits and three walks. The loss put her at 3-3 on the season.

The Tigers return to action on Sunday at Tiger Stadium when they play host to Bethany College in another non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is set for 12 pm.