FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. - The 20th-ranked Fort Hays State baseball team rattled off a season-high 21 hits in a 17-7 run rule win over Northeastern State on Sunday (April 13), taking the series with the RiverHawks two games to one. Every Tiger scored at least once and collected at least one hit in the blowout win, including a five-hit day for Tony Moore and four hits from Trey DeGarmo.
With the win, the Tigers (26-10, 20-5 MIAA) secured a trip to the 2025 MIAA Baseball Championship Tournament with 11 games left to play on the league schedule. The Tigers also reached 20 league wins for the first time in 13 years (2012 - 29-24 overall, 20-19 MIAA).
FHSU never trailed in the contest after the first six batters of the game came in to score on a pair of three-run home runs. DeGarmo crushed the first bomb to left center before Derek Woolwine ripped another three-run home run to right center three batters later, forcing NSU's starting pitcher out of the game before he recorded one out.
The RiverHawks (12-27, 9-16) pulled within 6-2 after solo home runs in the next two frames, but Fort Hays State was able to push the lead back to six with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. Moore opened the scoring with an RBI double to left center before later coming in to score on a double play.
Three hits, including a three-run home run, helped NSU close within 8-6 in the top of the fifth, before FHSU answered right back with four runs of its own. Zane Knox and Cooper Howell opened the run with back-to-back singles before Cesar Saavedra and Moore followed with back-to-back RBI doubles. Saavedra then scored on a balk before DeGarmo made it 12-6 with a single to left.
Gage Williams, NSU's leadoff hitter, clubbed his second solo home run in the top of the sixth to trim the deficit to 12-7 before the Tigers scraped together four more runs in the bottom of the sixth to help the lead balloon to 16-7.
Woolwine opened the frame with a double before Knox was hit by a pitch. Howell then laid down a sacrifice bunt, with the NSU first baseman opting to go after the lead runner at third. The throw was late and then muffed by the third baseman, allowing Woolwine to scamper home. Moore drove in two more with a single to right before Herrmann made it a nine-run lead with a two-out single to center.
The Tigers walked it off in the bottom of the eighth when Moore led off with his fifth hit of the game. Isaiah Ural followed with a double down the right field line, putting two runners in scoring position for DeGarmo. The senior came through with his fourth hit of the game, a single to right to drive in the run-rule-clinching run.
Brett Jacobs made his first career start, allowing six runs on five hits over 4.2 innings of work while striking out three batters. Kaleb Carpenter (3-2) earned the win after allowing one run on one hit over 2.1 innings of relief, striking out four. Trevor Baugh pitched the final inning, striking out one batter and walking one while allowing no hits.
Moore was 5-for-5 with four runs and four RBI, the first five-hit game for a Tiger since Herrmann did so last March (3/12/24 at NU). DeGarmo added five RBI and finished the game 4-for-5 at the dish. Woolwine had three hits and drove in three RBI, while Saavedra was 2-for-4 with three runs scored.