FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State Softball picked up a big doubleheader sweep of Pittsburg State on Saturday at Fleharty Family Field. The Tigers improved to 24-11 overall and 6-2 in the MIAA by scores of 3-0 and 3-2. Savannah Egger threw a complete-game shutout in the opener, her MIAA-leading seventh, then saved Bailey Carlson's win in game two by getting the final three outs.
Game 1: Fort Hays State 3, Pittsburg State 0
Savannah Egger won the battle between two of the MIAA's top pitchers, outdueling Hannah Harrison in the circle. Egger improved to 11-4 on the season in her complete-game shutout, while Harrison also threw a complete game but moved to 10-4 with the loss.
Egger worked around leadoff singles in both the first and fourth innings, stranding runners at third each time. She allowed a one-out double in the seventh after a dropped foul ball elongated the at bat, but stranded a runner at third once again with a flyout to end the game. Egger had eight strikeouts with just four hits allowed and did not walk anyone. She had six of her eight strikeouts through three innings, punching out two in each of the first three innings.
The Tigers scored their first run of the game by stringing together three singles in the second inning. Regan Curry and Carly Stuke had back-to-back singles to open the inning, moved up on a sacrifice by Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson, and Curry scored on an RBI single by Madison Pierce.
Adysen Burghart helped generate a Tiger run in the fifth, hit by a pitch to open the inning. She eventually came around to score on a two-out RBI single by Loren Beggs. The Tigers got another big two-out knock in the sixth when Pierce drove a ball off the left center field wall that brought home Stuke. It was Pierce's second RBI of the game and capped the scoring for the Tigers.
Game 2: Fort Hays State 3, Pittsburg State 2
Fort Hays State took a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the second, only to see Pittsburg State knot the score 2-2 in the top of the third. But the Tigers bounced back for the decisive run of the game in the third and held the Gorillas scoreless the rest of the way.
Regan Curry and Carly Stuke got a rally started for the Tigers in the second. Curry singled, then Stuke doubled her home from first with a drive to the right-center gap. Madison Pierce moved Stuke up with a good piece of hitting to the right side of the infield. That set up Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson for an RBI single chopper back up the middle that jumped up to a spot that was tough to handle for the second baseman.
The Gorillas used some good fortune to get their runs in the third. A bloop hit between the pitching circle and first base may have spun foul, but the Tigers touched it in fair territory resulting in an infield hit. After a walk and wild pitch, the Gorillas had runners at second and third. Tiger pitcher Bailey Carlson dodged one bullet by getting a fielder's choice grounder where Regan Curry threw the lead runner out at home. But then a well-placed chopper single that Carlson fielded resulted in the first Gorilla run since she had no play anywhere. Paxtyn Hayes then drove home the tying run with a sacrifice fly.
After Peyton Shepard and Sarah Tiffany picked up one-out singles in the third, Regan Curry had a timely two-out double down the right-field line to score Shepard and put the Tigers back on top 3-2.
Carlson took that gift from her offense and made good on it holding the Gorillas scoreless in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. She allowed just five hits in the game with one walk before handing the ball to Savanah Egger in the seventh after a leadoff single. Egger got a swinging strikeout of the first batter she faced, nearly had the second batter looking but it was called a ball for a walk. She then got a line out to left field and finished the game on a nasty pitch with movement for a strikeout, picking up her second save of the season. Egger finished the day with eight scoreless innings, lowering her season ERA to 1.59.
The Tigers will host Missouri Southern on Sunday. The battle between two of the top teams in the MIAA begins at 12 p.m. You can hear the game on KJLS (103.3).