FHSU Athletics
PITTSBURG, Kan. - The Fort Hays State baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader at Pittsburg State on the final day of the 2024 regular season Saturday, losing 14-2 in the opener before falling 10-9 in the second contest on a walk-off home run. The Tigers conclude the regular season 25-24 overall and 12-21 in conference play, securing a winning record in the regular season for the first time since 2013. The Gorillas move to 32-16 on the year and 22-11 in league action with the sweep.
With multiple games yet to play around the conference, the Tigers currently sit alone in seventh place in the conference standings. Three teams can match FHSU in the win column, one of which could pass the Tigers in the standings. However, because of the Tigers' 2-1 series win against Emporia State and their sweep of Northeastern State, FHSU is in a comfortable position to secure its first trip to the postseason since 2013.
Final seeds and matchups for the 2024 MIAA Baseball Championship will be announced at the conclusion of the regular season, currently set for Monday afternoon (weather pending).
Game 1: Pittsburg State 14, Fort Hays State 2
After rattling off 15 hits in Friday's series-opening win, the Tiger bats struggled to get going in the opener, compiling just four base knocks. FHSU's first seven batters were retired, while Pittsburg State took control with three runs in the first and three more in the second. Luis Ayala singled in the third for the first Tiger baserunner, but the catcher was stranded at first before the Gorillas scored two more in the bottom of the inning.
The Tigers loaded the bases in the fifth, but were unable to push across a run. The Gorillas continued to pile on in the bottom of the frame, scoring five more to push their lead to 13-0.
Fort Hays State got on the board in the top of the sixth when Isaiah Ural smacked a one-out single to left. Kyle Morrell followed with a pinch-hit home run to left, driving in the only two runs of the contest for the Tigers. Pittsburg State wrapped up the scoring with one more run in the bottom of the inning.
Ayala, Ural, Morrell and Jose Cintron had the four Tiger base knocks. Freshman Rafael Espinoza (4-2) took the loss after allowing eight runs on 10 hits in 2 2/3 innings. He struck out two batters and did not walk a batter. Brandon Chavez retired both batters he faced, including one strikeout.
Game 2: Pittsburg State 10, Fort Hays State 9
Fort Hays State bounced back offensively in the nightcap, compiling 12 base hits and scoring nine runs. The series finale started in the same manner as the opener - with a Cesar Saavedra home run. Isaiah Ural followed with another long ball two batters later, putting the Tigers on top 2-0.
Tiger starter Trevor Baugh worked around two singles in the bottom of the inning thanks to an inning-ending double play. Baugh went on to post five-straight scoreless innings, working around baserunners in each frame.
The Tiger bats added to their lead in the top of the third when Saavedra led off with a single. Ural doubled two batters later before Elliott Herrmann drove in a pair with a single. Trey DeGarmo pushed across two more runs later in the inning with a double down the left-field line, stretching FHSU's lead to 6-0.
The Gorillas broke through in the sixth, scoring two runs. Landyn Sterling entered the game in a sticky situation, facing the bases loaded with no outs and a 6-2 lead. The junior was up to the challenge, striking out a pair before getting out of the inning with a groundout.
A three-run home run for the home team narrowed the score to 6-5 in the bottom of the seventh, but the Tigers answered right back with three runs in the top of the eighth. Jamison Armstrong led off the frame with a pinch-hit home run right field, his third home run of the season. DeGarmo and Kyle Morrell kept things going with two singles before DeGarmo scored on a wild pitch, pushing the lead to 8-5. Ural later worked a bases-loaded walk, building the lead to four runs.
Three hits and one walk allowed the Gorillas to close within 9-8 in the bottom of the eighth, but Spencer Maley managed to get out of the inning by retiring two of the three batters he faced in the frame, including an inning-ending strikeout.
The Tigers went down in order in the top of the ninth before Maley retired the leadoff man in the home half of the inning. The next Gorilla singled before PSU won the game on a pinch-hit home run to left center, completing the comeback.
Baugh allowed two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out five batters in 5 innings of work. Sterling struck out two batters in 2 innings of work, allowing four runs, while Maley (2-4) took the loss after allowing two runs and striking out one in 1 inning of relief. Five different Tigers had two hits, including Saavedra, Ural, Herrmann, DeGarmo and Morrell. Saavedra and Ural both scored twice in the loss.