HAYS, Kan. - Despite collecting 25 hits on the day, the Fort Hays State baseball team dropped both ends Saturday's doubleheader against No. 4 Central Missouri, 29-2 and 20-13. Grant Schmidt, Ed Scott and Ridge Stephens all had four hits on the day, with all four of Stephens' base knocks coming in game two. Four different Tigers homered on the day, including two from Schmidt and one each from Scott, Jenner Kehe and Brady Kreutzer.
The Tigers and Mules will wrap up the regular season Sunday (May 1) beginning at 1 p.m. FHSU will honor 10 seniors before first pitch, including Griffin Brunson, Jacob Douglas, Jacob Ensz, Dylan Hamilton, Hunter Parker, Cade Peters, Schmidt, Kade Wallace, Padraic Walsh and Cole Zimmerman.
Game 1 - Central Missouri 29, Fort Hays State 2
The Mules scored early and often in the opener, pushing across six runs in the first before scoring 10 in the second inning. The two Tiger runs came from solo home runs off the bat of Grant Schmidt in the second and fourth innings. Kade Wallace and Ed Scott both collected singles while Mikey Felton was 1-for-3 with a double.
Central Missouri's 29 runs were fueled by 26 hits, seven of which were home runs.
Hunter Parker (0-10) got the start and was credited with the loss, while Tanner Lukowski, Conner Kessler, Jacob Ensz and Cade Peters all worked out of the bullpen. Kessler led the Tigers with three strikeouts over 3.0 innings of work.
Game 2 - Central Missouri 20, Fort Hays State 13
The Tigers got things going offensively in game two, matching their season high with 20 hits while pushing across 13 runs. Unfortunately for the hometown fans, however, UCM kept things rolling with 20 hits of its own, including five home runs that led to a total of 20 runs.
The Mules scored a pair in the first before FHSU matched that in the bottom of the inning on a groundout and a triple to deep center from Brady Kreutzer. UCM followed with five runs in the second and one in the third, with the Tigers keeping pace thanks to a pair of runs in the second and four in the third.
Fort Hays State put together a two-out rally in the second with a single from Ridge Stephens, a double from Jenner Kehe and a two-RBI single from Ed Scott. A Grant Schmidt single and a walk to Kade Wallace loaded the bases, but UCM got out of the jam with a third strikeout in the inning.
Mason Holton then opened a Tiger run in the third with a triple that bounced over the centerfielder's head. Griffin Brunson followed with an RBI double into the left field corner before Stephens singled for the second time in as many innings. That turned the roster over to Kehe, who crushed an 0-2 pitch over the fence in left center for his first collegiate home run, a three-run shot that tied things up at 8-8.
The visitors regained control with four runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth while bringing in reliever Josh Bortka (3-0) to shut down the Tiger offense. The righty tossed three scoreless innings, striking out five Tigers and allowing just three hits.
Later down 17-8, the Tigers closed within four with five runs in the eighth inning. Kreutzer led off with his third home run of the year, a solo shot on a missile that got out of the yard in no time. Later in the inning Stephens collected his fourth hit of the game, driving in Traelon Yarbrough with a double to right center. Kehe added his fourth RBI of the game with a groundout before Scott crushed his first home run of the season, a two-run, opposite-field shot to close the gap to 17-13.
UCM finished the scoring with three runs in the ninth, while the Mule bullpen retired the final four Tiger batters to close out the sweep.
Zach Berg (0-6) took the loss after striking out two batters over 3.0-plus innings of work. Sammy Sanchez, Jacob Douglas, Cole Zimmerman, Jason Robertson and Jake Campbell combined to throw the final six innings.
Kehe and Scott both had four RBI in the game, while Kehe and Stephens both scored three runs. All nine Tiger hitters collected at least one base knock, with seven of the nine picking up two or more hits.
FHSU Athletics