FHSU Athletics
EDMOND, Okla. – Fort Hays State Softball fell twice to No. 5 ranked Central Oklahoma on Saturday (Apr. 12). UCO won the first contest 3-1 before running away with the second game by run rule 20-1. FHSU is now 23-15 overall and 8-10 in the MIAA, while UCO moved to 37-6 overall and 16-2 in the MIAA.
Central Oklahoma 3, Fort Hays State 1
The Bronchos jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on a two-run home run by Terin Ritz in the first inning. UCO then added another run in the fourth on three hits, culminated on an RBI single by Kya Watson. UCO had four of its five total hits in the game in the innings it scored.
The Tigers also had five hits in the contest, but went scoreless all the way to the seventh inning. A Lilly Mohr walk to open the inning eventually set up an RBI single by Paige Thexton.
Savanah Egger threw a complete game, allowing five hits and a walk over 6.0 innings. She struck out four and moved to 10-9 on the season. Ritz moved to 13-2 in the circle for the season, also allowing five hits with two walks. She struck out eight batters for the win.
Central Oklahoma 20, Fort Hays State 1
Fort Hays State initially took a 1-0 lead on a Madison Pierce home run in the first inning, but it was all Bronchos from the second through fourth innings as they notched 20 runs in the three-inning span. A nine-hit second inning coupled with a key Tiger error ballooned into 13 runs for the Bronchos. They added four more in the third and three in the fourth and finished with 18 total hits in the game.
The Tigers had just two hits in the game, the other by Paige Thexton after the Pierce homer early on. Morgan Schmidt allowed eight runs in 1.0 inning, unable to get an out in the second after retiring the Bronchos in order in the first inning. Korryn Johnson allowed five runs, Savanah Egger allowed three runs, Kylie Caspersen allowed one run, Erika Flynn allowed two runs, and Myah Wolfe allowed one run.
Jordyn Pipkin (5-0) picked up the win for UCO, throwing the first 3.0 innings in the run-rule shortened game. She allowed one run on one hit with four strikeouts. Sydney Ward and Kaylee Bradley both pitched an inning each for UCO.
Fort Hays State looks to get back on track in a pair of road games next week at Missouri Southern (Fri. Apr. 18) and Pittsburg State (Sat. Apr. 19).