FHSU Athletics
Fort Hays State Softball will carry a 4-1 record into its second weekend of play, Friday through Sunday in the Edmond, Oklahoma area. This is the first of two consecutive weekend trips to the same location for the Tigers. The Tigers meet two Lone Star Conference and two Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opponents this weekend, as well as one opponent from the Great American Conference.
Coverage of games at Oklahoma Christian (Fri. and Sun.) – Live Stats I Watch Live
Coverage of games at Central Oklahoma (Sat.) – Live Stats I Watch Live
Schedule
Friday, February 14
4 PM - Fort Hays State at Oklahoma Christian (Tom Heath Field – Oklahoma Christian campus)
Saturday, February 15
10 AM – Fort Hays State vs. St. Edward's (Broncho Softball Stadium – Central Oklahoma campus)
12 PM – Fort Hays State vs. Chadron State (Broncho Softball Stadium – Central Oklahoma campus)
Sunday, February 16
10 AM – Fort Hays State vs. Colorado Christian (Tom Heath Field – Oklahoma Christian campus)
2 PM – Fort Hays State vs. Oklahoma Baptist (Tom Heath Field – Oklahoma Christian campus)
Stadium Locations
- Tom Heath Field – At the corner of Presidential Rd and Baird Loop on the campus of Oklahoma Christian University. Oklahoma Christian is right on the dividing line between Edmond and Oklahoma City.
-Broncho Softball Stadium – Washington Street on the University of Central Oklahoma campus in Edmond.
Quick Notes
- Fort Hays State met Oklahoma Christian in a doubleheader last season on March 11. The Eagles took both games of that doubleheader by a score of 1-0, the second having to go eight innings. Michaelanne Nelson worked 5.1 innings in Game 1 with five strikeouts, while Hailey Chapman threw 7.1 innings in Game 2 and struck out six. Madison Hagood picked up wins in both games for Oklahoma Christian, while Kali Crandall who is just a sophomore this year had 10 strikeouts in the Game 2 start. FHSU had just 7 hits in the doubleheader from 6 different players, led by Grace Philop with 2. FHSU is still looking for its first-ever win over Oklahoma Christian, entering at 0-7 in the all-time series. Oklahoma Christian played in the South Central Regional of the NCAA Division II National Tournament last year, reaching the championship round against Texas A&M-Kingsville, the region's No. 1 seed. Kingsville went on to reach the national championship best-of-3 series, falling two games to one to Augustana (S.D.).
- Fort Hays State and St. Edward's last met during the 2018 season in San Antonio, Texas. The Tigers won that meeting 5-3. Hailey Chapman had a two-inning save in that game, while Sara Breckbill had 2 hits and 2 RBIs. FHSU is 2-0 in the overall series with SEU.
- FHSU and Chadron State meet for the second time this season on Saturday. The Eagles handed the Tigers their only loss last weekend in Lubbock, Texas by a score of 4-1. DeAnna Barrera of CSC threw a complete game against FHSU, striking out seven without an earned run allowed. The Tigers generated their only run on a fielding error by the Eagles. Hailey Chapman allowed three runs in 3.1 innings of work. Chadron State holds a 2-0 advantage in the all-time series.
- FHSU and Colorado Christian meet in nearly the same location as they did last year, just a bit further down the road to the south. FHSU took a neutral site contest against the Cougars last year at Broncho Softball Stadium in Edmond by a score of 11-4. Michaelanne Nelson was the winner in that game, going 4.2 innings with a pair of strikeouts. Terran Caldwell and Katie Adler both had multi-hit performances in that meeting, while Bailey Boxberger had 3 RBIs and Elise Capra hit a solo home run. Colorado Christian swept a pair from the Tigers in 2018 in Lakewood. FHSU holds a 3-2 advantage in the all-time series with CCU.
- Fort Hays State and Oklahoma Baptist meet on the same field for the second straight year. The teams played a neutral site doubleheader at Tom Heath Field last year. Oklahoma Baptist swept that doubleheader by scores of 12-4 and 11-8. Megan Jamison saw the majority of work in the pitching circle in game one, throwing 4 innings of relief. Chapman and Nelson will be looking for redemption this year against OBU as Chapman allowed 11 runs in 3.2 innings and Nelson allowed 5 runs in 2.2 innings during last year's doubleheader. Sara Breckbill had a 4-hit day in the doubleheader for the Tigers. Katie Long was the winning pitcher for OBU in both games, throwing the final 9.2 innings of the day with 6 runs allowed to earn a relief win in Game 1 and a complete game win in Game 2. Long is a junior this year. FHSU is 1-3 all-time against Oklahoma Baptist.
- Fort Hays State's 4-1 start is the best 5-game start for the program since the 2014 season, which also posted the same mark in the first five games of the season. The 2014 team started 7-1 and was 8-2 through the first 10 games of the season.
- Kristen Reed leads the team in batting average for players with at least 10 at bats. She hit .412 in the first weekend of play with 7 knocks in 17 at bats. Alexis Velazquez was right behind her at a .400 clip, going 6-of-15 at the dish. The pair of Tiger newcomers combined for 13 RBIs last week, while remaining patient at the dish with a team-best 3 walks each. Loren Beggs posted a .556 batting average with 5 hits in 9 at bats. Four of the five hits were in games where she entered as a pinch hitter. Beggs is slugging .889 with three of her five hits being doubles. All three players have an on-base percentage of .500 or better.
- Lily Sale and Terran Caldwell are leading the way in runs scored for FHSU. Sale crossed the plate six times last week, while Caldwell crossed five times. Four other players scored four runs the first weekend of play. Sale hit a three-run home run in the win over New Mexico Highlands, the first homer in her four-year career at FHSU.
- Alexis Velazquez hit a grand slam in the 14-10 season-opening win over UC-Colorado Springs. It was the first grand slam by a Tiger since March 26, 2017.
- Pitchers Michaelanne Nelson and Hailey Chapman both have strong strikeouts per 7 innings pitched rates through one weekend of play. Nelson averaged 10.3 strikeouts per seven innings last week, while Chapman averaged 8.1. Nelson posted 11 strikeouts in the win over Southern Nazarene, her career high as a Tiger. However, elevated WHIP (walks+hits/innings pitched) rates led to a team ERA of 4.94 through five games. Nelson has a WHIP of 1.53, while Chapman is at 2.02. Five of the 16 walks, along with one hit batter, issued between the two last weekend turned into runs for the opposition. The pair is limiting extra-base damage by the opposition to just 19 percent as eight of the 42 hits allowed went for extra bases.