FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State baseball team captured the series finale against the Colorado School of Mines on Sunday, winning 4-2 at Larks Park. The Tigers (3-7) never trailed in the game despite being outhit by the Orediggers (2-9), 7-3.
Starting pitcher Cody Bruss jumped out to a perfect start, retiring the first nine batters he faced. The offense took advantage in the bottom of the second when Dylan Salcido clubbed a two-out home run to left, putting the Tigers up 1-0.
The visitors manufactured the tying run after a leadoff single in the top of the fourth before both teams stranded baserunners in scoring position over the next three innings. FHSU jumped back in front with a run in the bottom of the seventh after Jaxon Schleper reached on an error. Two walks loaded the bases before Schleper was able to scamper home on a wild pitch, putting the Tigers on top 2-1.
Mines answered with an unearned run of its own in the top of the eighth, but Bruss escaped a jam with two in scoring position and only one out by inducing a shallow fly ball and a routine ground out.
The Tigers took the lead right back in the home half of the eighth when Derek Woolwine was hit by a pitch to lead things off. Erick Ordonez followed with a walk before Salcido laid down a perfect bunt single just inside the third-base line, loading the bases with no outs. Justin Lipka was then hit by a pitch in the next at bat to give the Tigers the lead before Ordonez scored on a balk, making the score 4-2.
The Orediggers got the tying run to the plate with one out in the ninth after a batter was hit by a pitch, but Bruss capped off the win with his fourth strikeout of the game followed by an easy ground ball to short.
The senior pitcher is now 1-1 on the season after allowing just one earned run on seven hits across a complete nine innings of work. The Bennet, Neb. native needed 118 pitches to toss the complete game while inducing 17 ground-ball outs.
Salcido picked up two of FHSU's three hits, with Cooper Howell delivering the third base knock out of the leadoff spot. Antonio Avila and Garretson Cook both worked a pair of walks in the win.
The Tigers will enter conference play next weekend (Feb. 20-22) when they head to Maryville, Mo. to take on Northwest Missouri State. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.