Fort Hays State (8-20, 8-16 MIAA) vs
Washburn (12-18, 11-13 MIAA)
Friday-Saturday, April 9-10, 2021
DH Saturday • Friday 5 p.m. • Sat 12 p.m./3 p.m.
Hays, Kan. • Larks Park
The Fort Hays State baseball team looks to keep things rolling this weekend (April 23-24) when the Tigers host Washburn in another critical MIAA series. The Tigers and Ichabods will open the weekend with a single game beginning at 5 p.m. Friday before facing off in a Saturday doubleheader starting at noon.
With nine games remaining in the regular season, the red-hot Tigers (8-20, 8-16 MIAA) are just two games out of eighth place in the league standings, the final spot that will qualify for the 2021 MIAA Championship. FHSU has won each of its last six games, the second-longest active winning streak in the league. The Tigers scored at least 10 runs in each of those six wins, winning all six by a combined score of 73-26. Washburn enters the weekend 12-18 overall and 11-13 in league action, one game ahead of eighth place.
The Tigers clubbed eight home runs in last weekend's sweep of Northwest Missouri State, raising their average to 1.25 home runs per game this season, fourth-best in the MIAA and 43rd nationally. Grant Schmidt homered in all three games, bringing his 2021 total to nine, sixth-most in the conference and 44th across all Division II. Garrett Stephens and Kade Wallace are tied for second on the team with six long balls, good for 20th in the league. Wallace has reached base in each of the last 22 games, while Stephens has hit safely in nine straight.
Hunter Parker and Jacob Ensz have both been very productive on the mound for the Tigers since the calendar turned to April. Parker has recorded a 3.63 ERA over 17.1 innings and three appearances, surrendered just seven runs on 19 hits while recording a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 16/4. Ensz has allowed just one earned run across 8.1 innings and six appearances this month, posting a miniscule ERA of 1.08. The closer has six strikeouts and has walked just two batters during that span.
Washburn ranks fourth in the MIAA with a team batting average of .297, led by Xavier De Leon at .347. Five everyday starters are batting .300 or better. Parker Dunn leads the team in slugging percentage (.667), doubles (11) home runs (7) and on-base percentage (.418). Brock Gilliam anchors the pitching staff with a 3.81 ERA to go along with a 5-2 record over nine starts. He's struck out 77 batters across 54.1 innings, third-most in the MIAA.
Fort Hays State holds a 106-81 lead in the all-time series, including a 53-34 edge in games played in Hays. The Ichabods have won the last four meetings, with the last Tiger win coming in 2018 in Hays (8-7, 4/4/18). The Tigers are 4-8 at home so far this season, while the Ichabods are 5-11 in road games in 2021.
FHSU Athletics