HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State Softball continued its ascent in the MIAA standings on Saturday (Apr. 24) with a sweep of Northeastern State at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers won game one 5-3, then shutout the RiverHawks 2-0 in game two. FHSU improved to 22-18 overall, 15-7 in the MIAA, while NSU dropped to 21-18-1 overall, 9-12-1 in the MIAA.
Thirteen Tiger seniors were recognized following the game, which included three that saw their final season at FHSU cut short last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 10 that will wrap their careers this season. The 2020 seniors included Alexis Velazquez, Jeni Mohr, and Bailey Boxberger. This year's senior group includes Grace Philop, Haley Fox, Hannah Gates, Terran Caldwell, Michaelanne Nelson, Lily Sale, Katie Adler, Megan Jamison, Lexi Kagan, and Hailey Chapman.
The wins vaulted Fort Hays State into third place in the MIAA standings. The Tigers will go into the final week of the regular season locked mathematically for a berth in the MIAA Tournament, now it is just a matter of which seed they claim. If they can lock up a position in the the top four of the MIAA standings, they would host a first round three-game series, scheduled for May 6-8. The Tigers are also still mathematically alive in the race for the MIAA regular season title. Central Oklahoma sits atop the MIAA standings at 18-4, Central Missouri is 17-5, and FHSU is 15-7. The Tigers go on the road to Newman University and Central Oklahoma next week.
Game 1: Fort Hays State 5, Northeastern State 3
Fort Hays State delivered a big blow early and held on to win the first contest of the day. The Tigers scored four runs in the first inning, started by an RBI by Sara Breckbill on a groundout. Loren Beggs instantly made it 4-0 right afterwards with a 3-run blast down the left field line. The Tigers loaded the bases to start their half of the first with a Katie Adler walk and singles by Lily Sale and Grace Philop.
Northeastern State plated its only earned run of the game in the second inning on a fielder's choice that scored a runner from third. Otherwise, starting pitcher Michaelanne Nelson navigated traffic on the bases for the majority of the game and repeatedly worked out of danger.
The Tigers pushed their cushion back to four runs in the fifth on an RBI single by Sarah Tiffany. Philop and Beggs singled earlier in the inning to set up the run-scoring opportunity.
The RiverHawks picked up a pair of unearned runs in the sixth inning, benefitting from a pair of errors by the Tigers. Nelson went on to retire the NSU side in order in the seventh to pick up her 10th victory of the season in a complete-game effort. She scattered nine hits and walked three, but struck out eight for the second straight game. Gail Young also threw a complete game for NSU, allowing five runs on nine hits and two walks. She struck out five.
Game 2: Fort Hays State 2, Northeastern State 0
Hailey Chapman continued her recent strong efforts in the pitching circle by producing her second shutout in her last three outings. She mowed through Northeastern State's first six batters, picking up four of her seven strikeouts for the game in that stretch. She stopped an NSU threat of runners at second and third in the third inning with a flyout and did the same again in the sixth with runners at first and second. NSU had the potential tying run at the plate with two outs in the seventh, but another flyout sealed the shutout for Chapman.
The Tigers scratched out their first run in the fourth inning to snap a scoreless stalemate between the teams. With the bases loaded, Loren Beggs avoided a tag to score on a wild pitch. Later in the sixth, Beggs continued her strong day by launching a solo home run to left field, her second dinger of the day.
Chapman scattered five hits and walked one to pick up her third shutout and 11th victory of the season. Jenna Chassie of NSU allowed just three hits to the Tigers, but walked five. She struck out six in her six innings of work.
Fort Hays State will play a doubleheader at Newman University on Friday (Apr. 30) and then Central Oklahoma on Saturday (May 1).
FHSU Athletics