FHSU Athletics
SHAWNEE, Kan. – Fort Hays State split its first two games of the Top Gun Midwest Classic on Thursday. The Tigers thumped Upper Iowa in an 18-1 run-rule win in five innings, but fell in their second contest of the day to Maryville 5-3. Fort Hays State moved to 5-6 overall on the season with the results.
Fort Hays State 18, Upper Iowa 1 (5 inn.)
The Tigers took advantage of several errors by Upper Iowa, scoring 10 unearned runs in their first contest of the day. The game was scoreless through one inning, but the Tigers erupted for six runs in the second, six in the third, three in the fourth, and three in the fifth to run away with the game.
A Kaydawn Haag 2-RBI triple got the scoring started in the second inning. Kory Schoenfeld brought in a run with an RBI, then Audrey Gillespie hit a towering 3-run home run to left field.
In the third inning, Lilly Mohr led off with a home run. Hannah Green drove in a run and Peyton Shepard drew a walk to force another in. Abbey Duarte drove in a pair of runs with a single and then Lilly Mohr had another RBI in the inning with a single.
In the fourth, Peyton Shepard had an RBI single, Hannah Green scored on a passed ball, and a dropped pop up off the bat of Ava Burgess brought another Tiger in to score. In the fifth, Green tripled home two runs and Shepard drove her in with an RBI ground out.
Upper Iowa picked up its only run of the game in the bottom of the fifth on a 2-out RBI single.
Solana Carpenter started the game for FHSU and went just two innings. She struck out three before handing the ball to Duarte, who threw her first three innings of the season in relief. Duarte allowed just two hits and a run and picked up her first win in the pitching circle as a Tiger. Mara Sivley through the full 5.0 innings for UIU, allowing 15 hits and six walks. Eight of her runs allowed were earned.
Maryville 5, Fort Hays State 3
Fort Hays State had a 3-2 lead on Maryville after one inning of the nightcap, but could not hold on as the Saints scored single runs in the third, fourth, and fifth to take the game 5-3.
After scoring three runs on two hits in the first inning, the Tigers recorded just three hits the remainder of the game against pitcher Nora Johnson, who threw a complete game for Maryville.
After falling down 2-0 through a half inning on a 2-RBI single, the Tigers rallied back in the bottom of the first. Hannah Green scored on a fielding error off the bat of Audrey Gillespie. Then Abbey Duarte hit a missile over the left field wall to instantly put the Tigers up 3-2.
Maryville scored its single runs in the third and fourth on two-out RBI singles. A single, double, and single produced their fifth-inning run with one out.
Solana Carpenter threw the entire game for FHSU, striking out eight batters with nine hits and four walks allowed. Four of the five runs she surrendered were earned. She moved to 2-2 on the season. Johnson of Maryville picked up her first win of the season, striking out nine Tigers.
Fort Hays State will take on Quincy and Augustana on Day 2 of the tournament Friday (Feb. 27).