MARYVILLE, Mo. - The Fort Hays State baseball team fell short in game two against Northwest Missouri State on Sunday by a final score of 7-6. Both teams found a rhythm early in the contest, but the Tigers were unable to overcome the damage done in the first inning. The Bearcats improve 17-25, 11-18 MIAA wile the Tigers fall to 4-37, 3-26 MIAA.
The Tigers came out swinging in the opening frame as a walked Jenner Kehe found his way to third on a ground out and a wild pitch. In the next at bat, Grant Schmidt doubled down the left field line to plate Kehe and give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. The lead did not last long however as the Bearcats loaded the bases with three straight singles to open the home half of the inning before totaling six runs.
FHSU bounced back in the next frame, compiling three runs on a pair of singles. After Joey Olson was hit by a pitch in the leadoff at bat and Griffin Brunson drew a walk, Ridge Stephens singled to left to bring up the top of the lineup. With the bases loaded and two outs, Ed Scott would become the second HBP victim of the inning to bring Olson across. Schmidt drove in his second and third runs of the contest with a blooper just out of the short stop's reach. Through two offensive frames, the Tigers trailed 6-4.
Tiger starter Jake Campbell began to settle in after escaping another bases loaded jam late in the second by forcing a flyout and retiring the Bearcats in order in the third. Northwest Missouri would end Campbell's streak of five straight batters retired with a double. The Bearcats would manage a run on two hits in the frame, but the Tigers answered with a run of their own in the fifth. Brady Kreutzer singled in Scott after a leadoff double from the center fielder, helping the Tigers close within 7-5.
Padraic Walsh entered in relief for the Tigers in the fifth and immediately shut down the Bearcat offense. The senior righty allowed only one hit through the remainder of the contest, retiring 12 out of 17 batters he faced. FHSU managed to squeeze within one in the eighth as a single from Brunson plated Cade Flaherty, but were unable to complete the comeback.
Campbell (0-8) allowed seven runs on nine hits and a pair of walks in four innings. Walsh also gave up a pair of walks along with his singular hit and recorded two strikeouts in the final four frames. Schmidt was 4-for-5 with one double and three RBI.
The Tigers and Bearcats will play the series finale tomorrow, with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
FHSU Athletics