FHSU Athletics
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Fort Hays State baseball team opened the 2026 season with a 17-3 run-rule victory over the University of Colorado Colorado Springs Friday on the road. The Mountain Lions (0-1) took an early lead with a run in the first before the Tigers (1-0) scored nine runs over the next three innings to take control.
Preseason All-American Brandon Chavez got the start and gave up one run in the bottom of the first, but settled in to allow only one hit over the first three innings. The Tigers answered in the top of the second when Derek Woolwine doubled and later scored on an RBI ground ball from Justin Lipka.
The Tigers took the lead for good thanks to three more hits in the top of the third. Cooper Howell put FHSU on top with a sacrifice fly before Woolwine drove in a pair with his second double of the game.
Fort Hays State batted around in the top of the fourth, pushing five runs across thanks to five hits and two walks. Dylan Salcido capped off the inning with an RBI double to center, stretching the lead to 9-1.
UCCS managed single runs off Chavez in each of the next two innings before the Tigers put up another crooked number in the sixth. Eight-straight Tigers reached base in the inning, helping the visitors push the lead to 15-3 thanks to three runs.
A pair of walks brought Salcido to the plate who doubled in a run before Lipka followed with an RBI single. Tyson Jimenez kept things rolling with an RBI double to right before Antonio Avila plated a run with a single. Erick Ordonez made it five-straight hits with an RBI single before Sean Amarante drove in the final run with a sacrifice fly.
Aaron Boutz came on in relief in the sixth and walked the first two batters he faced before retiring six in a row, including a clutch double play to get out of trouble in the bottom of the sixth.
Woolwine tallied his third extra-base hit of the day with a leadoff home run in the top of the seventh before Avila made it 17-3 with a ground-rule double that plated Jimenez.
Chavez (1-0) earned the win after striking out six in 5.0 innings of work, allowing three runs on three hits. Boutz struck out one in his 2.0 innings of scoreless relief.
Woolwine was one of six Tigers to record multiple hits in the win, with the first baseman going 4-for-4 with four RBI and three runs. Avila was 5-for-6 with two RBI and three runs, while Ordonez collected three hits. Salcido, Lipka and Jimenez all had two hits each.
The Tigers and Mountain Lions will continue their three-game series Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. (noon MT).