FHSU Athletics
ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - The Fort Hays State baseball team dropped a pair of contests on day two of the Henderson State Invitational, losing to Harding 8-6 before falling to the host Reddies 11-6. The Tigers are now 2-4 on the year, while the Bisons moved to 2-0 and the Reddies improved to 3-0 with their victories.
The Tigers and Bisons will meet up again Sunday beginning at 10 a.m. to wrap up the weekend.
Harding 8, Fort Hays State 6
Tiger starter Brett Jacobs retired the first seven batters he faced, but the Bisons strung together a trio of two-out base hits in the third to push across four runs. Harding stretched the lead to 5-0 after a leadoff triple in the fifth before scoring two more in the sixth.
Fort Hays State picked up its first base hit of the game in the fifth before plating a pair in the bottom of the sixth. Sean Amarante led off with a pinch-hit single before Tony Moore and Garretson Cook rattled off two-out base hits, getting the Tigers on the board. Moore later made it 7-2 when he came in to score on a balk.
The Tigers then took advantage of four free bases in the home half of the seventh, plating four runs to pull within 7-6. Three walks, a beaned batter and a bunt single plated two runs before Cook drove in a pair with a single to center.
Harding added an insurance run in the top of the eighth, building the lead to 8-6. Three more free passes loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, but the Bisons bullpen got out of the jam with an infield pop up.
Jacobs (0-1) took the loss after allowing seven runs (six earned) on eight hits alongside six strikeouts in six innings of work. Bret Deegan tossed the final three frames, giving up one run on three hits while striking out one. Cook turned in a three-hit game, driving in a trio of runs.
Henderson State 11, Fort Hays State 6
The Tigers loaded the bases with one out in the first after a trio of free passes, but HSU starter Cade Morgan got out of the jam with a pair of fly outs. The Reddies then took the lead in the home half with two runs on three hits and an error.
Fort Hays State managed just one baserunner over the next three frames, while HSU doubled its lead with two more runs in the third. Cooper Howell led off the top of the fifth with a ground-rule double before coming in to score on an Antonio Avila base hit, getting the Tigers on the board.
The Tigers pulled within 4-3 thanks to two runs on three hits in the top of the sixth. Justin Lipka, Howell and Avila rattled off back-to-back-to-back singles, plating a pair and helping FHSU pull within one run.
FHSU then took the lead despite not recording a hit in the seventh. Three walks loaded the bases for Lipka, who was hit by a pitch to plate the tying run. Two more runs came in on an error, putting the Tigers in front 6-4.
The Reddies responded with six runs on three hits and five free passes in the home half of the seventh, retaking a 10-6 lead before tacking on one more run in the eighth.
Howell and Avila each had two of FHSU's six hits, while Garretson Cook reached base three times on one hit and two walks. Tucker Rusell got the start and allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits over 3.0 innings of work. Luke Berry (0-1) struck out seven batters over 3.2 innings of relief but allowed six runs on three hits and four walks to take the loss.