FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State baseball team scored seven runs in the first inning and never looked back Friday evening, defeating Newman 11-6 in front of 407 fans on Pack the Park night. The Tigers (16-32, 11-24 MIAA) never trailed in the contest, scoring multiple runs in three different frames.
After starter Brandon Chavez needed just five pitches to get through the top of the first, the Tiger offense got to work. FHSU sent 12 men to the plate in the bottom of the inning, racking up five hits, three walks and one hit-by-pitch. Mac Bowie plated the first run with a double to left center before Erick Ordonez plated a pair with a single past the shortstop. Justin Lipka, Gehrig Heckathorn and Josh McWilliams all added RBI later in the inning, pushing the lead to 7-0.
Chavez worked around two free bases in the second before allowing four runs on three hits and two free passes in the third, allowing Newman (6-43, 3-32 MIAA) to pull within 7-4. A pair of two-out base hits helped the Jets make it 7-5 n the fifth before Cooper Howell responded with a two-RBI double in the bottom of the inning to stretch the lead back to four, 9-5.
Back-to-back doubles from Garretson Cook and Bowie gave the Tigers their 10th run of the game before Bowie sprinted home on a wild pitch, pushing FHSU's lead to six, 11-5. The Jets tacked one more on in the top of the ninth, but Brett Jacobs came on to slam the door and preserve the win.
Chavez (3-3) earned the win after striking out nine batters over seven-plus innings of work. The junior allowed five runs on eight hits and two walks while retiring seven in a row late in his outing.
Aaron Boutz came on with a runner on base in the eighth and proceeded to get a pair of ground balls to get out of the inning thanks to FHSU's second double play of the game. Boutz worked one-plus hitless inning of relief, allowing one run on one walk. Jacobs allowed two hits in the final inning, striking out one batter and sealing the win.
Howell was 3-for-3 with a double and two RBI, while both McWilliams and Bowie added multi-hit games.
With the win, the Tigers are now tied for 10th place in the MIAA standings with one game remaining in the regular season. A win Saturday combined with a Northeastern State loss against Emporia State would give Fort Hays State the final spot in the 2026 MIAA Championship Tournament, set for May 6-10 in Edmond, Okla.
The Tigers and Jets will wrap up the series and the regular season on Saturday (May 2) beginning at 1 p.m. inside Larks Park. Fort Hays State will recognize seven seniors playing in their final home game before the contest.