FHSU Athletics
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. - The Fort Hays State baseball team evened the series with Northeastern State with a 6-3 win on Friday. A stellar pitching performance by Jake Campbell and timely hits from the offense resulted in the end of a 16 game losing streak to the RiverHawks. FHSU improved to 16-23 overall and 6-16 in the MIAA and NSU fell to 15-19 overall and 9-13 in the conference.
The RiverHawks took the lead in the second with a solo home run, but the Tigers manufactured a run in the fourth to tie the game. A pair of infield singles from Elliott Herrman and Jenner Kehe opened the inning for the Tigers before Herrmann moved up 90 feet on a fielder's choice and scored on a Mikey Felton single up the middle.
The Tigers took the lead in the fifth as Ed Scott drew a leadoff walk before Isaiah Ural singled to join him on the bases. With two outs in the inning, Kehe stepped up and launched a first pitch bomb over the left field wall to give the Tigers a 4-1 advantage. Campbell retired the RiverHawks in order in the fourth and the fifth and the offense padded their lead in the sixth as Trey DeGarmo doubled to left field to bring home Colter Maldonado, who also reached on a double.
NSU went 1-2-3 in the home half before the Tigers scored their final run of the contest on a pair of singles from Kehe and Tico Olivas. The home squad plated an unearned run in the seventh and homered to left in the eighth to narrow the Tiger lead, but Campbell sat them down in the final frame to secure the win.
Campbell (3-0) tossed his first complete game of the season allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits while walking three batters and dealing four punch outs. Every batter that stepped up to the plate for the Tigers reached base at least once with eight if the nine tallying a hit. Kehe had another impressive performance going 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBI.
The rubber match is scheduled for Saturday at noon.