FHSU Athletics
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Fort Hays State moved to 1-3 overall on the season after a pair of losses on Saturday (Feb. 14) at the Cherokee Nation D2 Softball Festival. The Tigers dropped their first contest of the day 12-1 to Southwestern Oklahoma State before seeing Arkansas-Monticello slip past for a 6-5 win in the second contest of the day.
Southwestern Oklahoma State 12, Fort Hays State 1
After a scoreless first inning, Southwestern Oklahoma State ran away with the first contest of the day by scoring five in the second, two in the third, three in the fourth, and two in the fifth to produce a run-rule win. The Tigers scored their only run in the bottom of the fifth on an Audrey Gillespie RBI double.
The big blow for SWOSU was a grand slam in the second inning after an error prolonged the inning. The Bulldogs also had a 3-run homer, which occurred in the fourth inning.
Hannah Green and Gillespie both had two hits in the game. Both of Gillespie's hits were doubles, while Green recorded a triple.
Lily Barfield went the distance for SWOSU in the circle, scattering seven hits with three walks. She did not strike out any Tigers. Claire Kirby took the loss for FHSU. Just one of her five runs allowed in 1.2 innings of work were earned. Kamaya Soniea-Harris and Mackenzie Hudson also threw 1.2 innings each in the game. Soniea-Harris had two strikeouts.
Arkansas-Monticello 6, Fort Hays State 5
Fort Hays State had the lead in the second contest only to see Arkansas-Monticello slip past late. UAM initially took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, but the Tigers leveled the game with a run in the third, then moved ahead 4-1 with a run in the fourth and two in the fifth.
In the third, Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson evened the game 1-1 on a sacrifice fly RBI. Lilly Mohr pushed the Tigers into the lead in the fourth with a solo home run. In the fifth, Abbey Duarte doubled home a run, then Audrey Gillespie singled home a run.
An error was costly for the Tigers in the sixth inning as UAM rallied for four runs. A bases loaded walk made it 4-2, then Lainey Tippen cleared the bases with a 3-RBI double to put UAM back on top 5-4.
Duarte picked up her second RBI of the game in the sixth with a sacrifice fly, making the score 5-5 going to the seventh. Unfortunately, a pair of wild pitches helped the Cotton Blossoms plate a run in the seventh and FHSU stranded a runner at second in the bottom half, coming up a run short.
Solana Carpenter had a strong outing in the pitching circle for FHSU with just four hits allowed and seven strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work. None of the three runs she allowed were earned. Mackenzie Hudson relieved for 1.2 innings and took the loss, while Claire Kirby also threw a third of an inning. Hannah Green and Lilly Mohr each had three hits in the game.
Fort Hays State looks to bounce back on Sunday with a single contest against Harding University at 11 a.m. to round out its tournament weekend.