FHSU Athletics
TOPEKA, Kan. - The Fort Hays State baseball team fell to Washburn in extra innings on Wednesday, losing 6-5. The Tigers (9-15, 6-8 MIAA) scored three in the seventh to tie the score at four and scored in the top of the 10th to take the lead before the Ichabods (9-15, 6-6 MIAA) plated a pair in the home half of the inning to walk off with the win.
After both teams left men on base in the second inning, the Tigers struck first in the top of the third when Justin Lipka led off with a double. The next pitch hit Tyson Jimenez before Antonio Avila laid down a sacrifice bunt. The Ichabods tried to get the lead run at third but the throw got away, allowing Lipka to scamper home with an unearned run.
But WU got out of the inning without any further damage before hitting a two-run home run in the home half of the inning to jump in front 2-1. The Ichabods made it 3-1 with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth before a walk and two singles pushed their lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth.
The Tigers mounted their rally before the seventh-inning stretch when Lipka reached on an error. Avila followed with a two-run home run two batters later, pulling FHSU within one. Cooper Howell kept the rally going with a single before Woolwine was hit by a 3-2 pitch. Tony Moore tied the score with a two-out single to left, allowing Howell to sprint home from second just before the tag.
Washburn opened the eighth with a double before Brett Jacobs came out of the bullpen, getting out of a bases-loaded jam with a foul pop up and a ground ball. Both sides left runners on base in the ninth but were unable to score, sending things to extra innings. Moore reached on a leadoff error before Mac Bowie slapped a one-out single to center, putting runners at the corners. Lipka then plated the go-ahead run with an RBI fielder's choice before the Ichabods got out of the inning with another ground out.
After a leadoff strikeout, the Ichabods started a rally after the first Tiger error of the game. The next hitter drove in the game-tying run with a triple before the game came to a close with a walk-off ground-rule double.
Aaron Boutz got the start, tossing the first 4.1 innings of work while allowing four runs on five hits alongside five strikeouts. Caleb Camp then tossed 2.2 scoreless innings of relief, giving up just one hit. Jacobs (1-3) took the loss after allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits alongside two strikeouts in 2.1 innings of work.
Avila was 3-for-4 on the day with two RBI, while Moore also had two of FHSU's eight hits.
The Tigers will continue their road trip this weekend (March 20-22) when they travel to Joplin, Mo. for a three-game series against Missouri Southern. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. each day.