FHSU Athletics
TOPEKA, Kan. – Fort Hays State pushed its win streak to four games, now 4-0 at the Washburn Invitational with a pair of wins on Saturday (Feb. 25). The Tigers posted their third straight shutout with a 2-0 win over Rockhurst, then held Wayne State scoreless for six innings in a 6-2 win. Savanah Egger threw her second-straight shutout, while Bailey Carlson flirted with a shutout in a complete-game win.
Fort Hays State 2, Rockhurst 0
Fort Hays State recorded its third-straight shutout overall, and Savanah Egger produced her second-straight individual shutout in the pitching circle with a 2-0 win over Rockhurst. Egger matched her career high in strikeouts with 12, while scattering five hits with a pair of walks.
After the teams played to a scoreless tie through three innings, FHSU produced the game's first run in the top of the fourth when Aubrey Martinez singled up the middle to drive home Regan Curry. Curry set up the run-scoring opportunity with a two-out double right in front of Martinez. The Tigers added on in the sixth when Loren Beggs led off the inning with a double and then came in to score on a Carly Stuke triple.
Egger got out of a bases-loaded two-out jam in the first inning with a strikeout, then eventually recorded six of the final nine outs by strikeout. The 12 strikeouts matched her performance against Truman State University on March 5 of last season, also accomplished in Topeka at Gahnstrom Field.
Fort Hays State 6, Wayne State 2
The Tigers slowly worked their way out to a 3-0 lead with single runs in the second, third, and fifth before tacking on three in the seventh for a strong 6-0 lead. Bailey Carlson was two outs away from another shutout, but the Wildcats broke through with a pair of runs in the seventh before Carlson struck out the final batter for the complete-game win.
Carly Stuke doubled to start the second inning, which eventually set up an Aubrey Martinez RBI single for the first Tiger run. Peyton Shepard's speed helped generate the next run in the third when she had a bunt single, stole a base, and then scored on an RBI single up the middle by Sarah Tiffany. The Tigers loaded the bases in the fifth and Madison Pierce drove home a run with an infield ground out to make it 3-0.
The Tigers scored three runs in the sixth due to a pair of Wayne State errors. Shepard wheeled all the way around from first on a muffed throw by the first baseman that went trickling off down the right field line. A throwing error later allowed Sarah Tiffany and Loren Beggs to score.
Carlson scattered 11 hits and walked just one, while striking out five. She moved to 2-1 on the season. Grace Lucka threw the first four innings for WSC and took the loss, allowing three runs on seven hits with two walks and a strikeout.
The Tigers close out the Washburn Invitational on Sunday with games against University of Mary and Sioux Falls. The Tigers face Mary at Gahnstrom field at 1:30 p.m., then Sioux Falls at Lake Shawnee South Field at 5:30 p.m.