FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State baseball team fell to No. 16 Central Missouri in extra innings on Saturday, losing 4-3 in 10 frames. The Tigers (11-26, 8-19 MIAA) led 2-0 after one inning and 3-1 after two, but the Mules (28-8, 18-6 MIAA) fought back to tie things up before taking the lead for the first time in the 10th.
After starter Karter Beving worked around a walk and a single to post a zero in the top of the first, the Tigers took advantage of a defensive miscue in the home half to jump on top. Mac Bowie reached on a two-out error before Derek Woolwine worked a walk. A passed ball and wild pitch allowed Bowie to score before Woolwine crossed the plate when Cooper Howell punched a single into the right-field corner.
A pair of two-out base hits helped UCM pull within 2-1 in the second before Tytin Goebel led off the bottom of the frame with a single to center. The left fielder moved up 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt before coming in to score on a single up the middle from Justin Lipka.
Central Missouri pulled within 3-2 after a leadoff double and a sacrifice fly in the third before adding an unearned run following a passed ball in the fourth to tie the score at three.
The Tigers had chances to score the rest of the way but were unable to push across another run, leaving runners in scoring position in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings.
FHSU went to the Brandon Chavez out of the bullpen with two on and no outs in fifth, with the junior promptly retiring the next three batters with a sacrifice bunt and two strikeouts to maintain the tie. The Laramie, Wyo. native ultimately struck out nine batters in 6.0 innings of relief, allowing just two hits.
After the teams combined for just four hits (all singles) after the fourth inning, the Mules took their first lead with an unearned run in the 10th. An error followed a one-out single, putting runners at the corners. UCM then laid down a bunt with the runner on third taking off for home. Chavez quickly fielded the ball and flipped it to Lipka behind the plate, but the tag was applied just after the runner's hand touched the plate.
FHSU challenged the play, but there was not enough evidence to overturn the call, putting UCM on top 4-3. Chavez escaped further damage when he fielded another bunt and flipped the ball to third with his glove before ending the inning with his ninth strikeout.
Woolwine was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the ninth, but two ground balls and a pop up brought things to a close.
Beving worked the first four-plus innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and one walk while striking out one batter.
The Tigers and Mules will wrap things up on Sunday (April 12) beginning at 1 p.m. at Larks Park.