FHSU Athletics
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Fort Hays State was just three outs from gaining a split at Northeastern State on Friday evening (Apr. 10), but a last-inning rally gave Northeastern State a sweep on its home field. The RiverHawks won by scores of 10-2 and 6-4, moving to 22-17 overall and 9-9 in the MIAA, while the Tigers moved to 18-23 overall and 4-12 in the MIAA.
Northeastern State 10, Fort Hays State 2 (6 inn.)
Fort Hays State saw a pair of narrow leads slip away in the first contest against Northeastern State. FHSU led 1-0 after one inning, then after NSU tied the game in the fourth, the Tigers went back on top 2-1 in the fifth.
The Tigers nearly escaped danger in the fifth by getting a pair of outs with the bases loaded, but Emily Carpenter promptly put the RiverHawks in front by three with a grand slam. NSU kept its momentum rolling in the sixth with a two-run homer and an RBI triple to make it 8-2. The game saw a lightning delay for a little while before NSU returned to add two more runs and end the game by run rule.
Fort Hays State starter Korryn Johnson held NSU at bay for the first four innings, but ran into the jam in the fifth when a walk, single, and walk loaded the bases with no outs. Solana Carpenter entered to get a pair of outs, but could not avoid the grand slam as the game quickly shifted Northeastern State's way.
Johnson was charged with four runs allowed in her 4.0 innings of work, while Carpenter allowed three in 1.2 innings and Myah Wolfe allowed three (one earned), but did not record an out.
Jensyn Elder tossed a complete game for the RiverHawks, scattering six hits and striking out four in 6.0 innings of work.
Hannah Green was 3-for-3 at the plate for the Tigers, accounting for half of the team's hits in the game.
Northeastern State 6, Fort Hays State 4
Much like the first game of the day, the Tigers had control for a good portion before a late rally flipped the game the way of NSU. The Tigers led 3-0 through four innings, but saw the RiverHawks score two in the fifth to get within one. The Tigers picked up one more run in the top of the seventh, but Northeastern State rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to win in walk-off fashion on a two-run home run.
The Tigers started the game with their first three batters reaching to load the bases. They picked up a run off the bat of Abbey Duarte, who hit in to a double play but it was still enough to get a run in. In the fourth, Alexis Mohr delivered a clutch pinch-hit 2-RBI single to push Tiger lead out to three.
The RiverHawks scored their first run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly, but a dropped pop up by the Tigers allowed another run to score and tighten the advantage to one. Lilly Mohr drove in the final run for the Tigers in the seventh to get one of those two RiverHawk runs back as the Tigers took a two-run lead to the bottom of the seventh.
Northeastern State started the seventh with a triple and double as the lead narrowed to 4-3. Korryn Johnson relieved for starter Solana Carpenter and got one batter to pop out, but a passed ball allowed put NSU's tying run on third and then the Tigers tried to cut her down at the plate on a ground ball, but were unsuccessful as the RiverHawks tied the game. Jersey Retzloff pinch hit for the RiverHawks and ended the game with a two-run home run to left field.
Johnson took the loss in the circle, while Carpenter pitched the first 6.0 innings. Carpenter allowed six hits and seven walks, while striking out four. Northeastern State used a committee of three pitchers, finished by Gracie Turner who picked up the win in 1.1 innings of work.
FHSU led the hits column 9-4 going to the bottom of the seventh and still outhit the RiverHawks 9-7, despite the late burst of runs.
Lilly Mohr had a three-hit game, while Peyton Shepard and Audrey Gillespie each had two. Shepard swiped her 30th base of the season, now just the second player in the program's NCAA history to steal 30 bases in a season, joining Bianca Adame who did it twice. Shepard is now just three steals shy of Adame's career stolen bases record.
Next up, the Tigers play a doubleheader at Rogers State on Saturday (Apr. 11) starting at 12 p.m.