FHSU Athletics
TOPEKA, Kan. – Fort Hays State softball split its pair of games on Saturday at the Washburn Invitational, playing at the Lake Shawnee Softball Complex. The Tigers ran away with their first game of the day, 10-0 in run-rule fashion over Wayne State (Neb.), but unfortunately was on the short end of a 1-0 pitcher's duel against Sioux Falls. The Tigers moved to 9-3 overall on the season.
Fort Hays State 10, Wayne State (Neb.) 0 (5 inn.)
Fort Hays State jumped all over Wayne State in the first inning of the first contest of the day. The Tigers had seven hits in the opening inning, highlighted by a pair of home runs. Peyton Shepard and Sarah Tiffany opened the inning with singles and Alondra Dominguez walked to load the bases. Two batters later, Loren Beggs launched the second grand slam of her career to instantly put the Tigers up 4-0. She is now tied for the school record for most grand slams in a career, shared by three others including head coach Adrian Pilkington and teammate Sarah Tiffany.
The Tigers continued to pour the offense on as Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson singled and then Audrey Gillespie launched a two-run home run in her first collegiate at bat. She was the first Tiger to launch a homer in her first collegiate at bat since Sarah Tiffany did so during the 2021 season. The Tigers led 6-0 after one inning.
Fort Hays State tacked on another pair of runs in the second inning to make it 8-0. Dominguez opened the inning with a single and then Beggs doubled to put runners at second and third. Ramirez-Johnson drove home Dominguez with a sacrifice fly and then Carly Stucke followed with a double to plate Beggs
.The Tigers picked up a pair of runs in the fourth to pad their run-rule advantage. Dominguez opened another inning with a single to go 2-for-2 in the game and then Beggs singled to complete a 3-for-3 game at the plate. Ramirez-Johnson knocked in a run and then Regan Curry drew a bases loaded walk to make it 10-0. Tiger pitching made the run-rule advantage hold up by holding the Wildcats scoreless.
Morgan Schmidt started the game and threw two hitless innings. Emma Montoya relieved for the final three innings, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out two. One of her strikeouts ended the game.
Sioux Falls 1, Fort Hays State 0
Fort Hays State had run-scoring opportunities in both the first and sixth innings, but could not push a run across and saw Sioux Falls win in walk-off fashion with an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh. The Tigers had runners at second and third in the first with one out and hit into a double play, then had the bases loaded in the sixth with two outs and could not find the breakthrough hit. Sarah Tiffany and Peyton Shepard each had two hits in the contest.
Savanah Egger was cruising along with a no-hit bid going through 4.1 innings, but USF notched its first hit in the fifth. A leadoff single allowed in the seventh turned into the winning run for USF. With one out, the Cougars got their game-winning RBI single with one out. Egger allowed only three hits in the game, but walked four. She took her first loss of the season, despite a solid complete-game effort, now 5-1 overall.
Maddi Duncan claimed the complete-game shutout win for USF, allowing five hits and a walk with two strikeouts. She moved to 6-2 on the season.
Fort Hays State wraps up its weekend in Topeka on Sunday with games against Winona State and St. Cloud State. FHSU plays at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. once again at the Lake Shawnee complex.