FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State baseball team fell to No. 16 Central Missouri in Friday's series opener, losing 15-2. The Tigers (11-25, 8-18 MIAA) trailed 5-2 after six innings but the Mules (27-8, 17-6 MIAA) scored 10 runs over the final three frames to inflate the final score.
Central Missouri jumped in front in the first after a two-out walk and a pair of doubles before tacking on two more in the fourth following a 30-minute lightning delay.
After just two Tigers reached base over the first three innings on a pair of hit-by-pitches, FHSU opened the fourth inning with three-consecutive base knocks to come alive. Mac Bowie led off the inning with a double off the very top of the wall in center field before sprinting home on a double from Derek Woolwine that found the grass in the right-field corner. Dylan Salcido kept things rolling with a bloop single to center, plating Woolwine and helping the Tigers pull within 4-2.
But the Mules pitching staff bounced back after that, retiring 18 in a row to finish the game. UCM put things on ice with one run in the fifth, three in the seventh, two in the eighth and five in the ninth.
Aaron Boutz (1-3) took the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) on just three hits across 3.2 innings of work while striking out three batters. Cody Bruss struck out five batters in 4.0 innings of relief, allowing eight runs on five hits.
The Tigers and Mules will continue their series on Saturday beginning at 3 p.m. before wrapping things up on Sunday at 1 p.m.