HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State baseball team dropped Sunday's series finale against Northeastern State by a score of 8-4. Three Tiger pitchers combined for 16 strikeouts in the contest, the most in a game since February 2021 (17 vs. Pittsburg State, 2/28/21).
Hunter Parker worked around a hit and a walk to strike out the side in a scoreless first inning before the Tigers jumped on top with two runs in the home half. Tico Olivas and Brady Kreutzer both singled, bringing Trip Pennington to the plate with two outs. The freshman swung at the first pitch and roped a line drive to left that bounced over the fence, plating one run and sending Kreutzer to third. After a pitch hit Ed Scott to load the bases, Jaxson Webb worked a walk to drive in another run.
The RiverHawks manufactured a run in the second, but FHSU grabbed one right back in the bottom of the inning to go up 3-1. Ridge Stephens led off with a single, followed by another base knock from Jenner Kehe. Later, with runners at the corners and one out, Grant Schmidt lifted a fly ball to center that was deep enough to bring in Stephens.
After striking out a pair in the second inning, Parker duplicated that feat in a scoreless third frame. The Tigers then left two on base in the bottom of the third before NSU took a 4-3 lead on a pair of home runs in the fourth inning. Parker added two more strikeouts in a scoreless fifth inning, helping the senior match his career-high with 10 strikeouts in the contest.
Northeastern State pushed across three more runs in the sixth after another home run, giving the visitors a 7-3 edge. The Tigers closed one run closer after the seventh inning stretch when Tico Olivas led off with his first collegiate home run. The right fielder connected with a 2-2 pitch, sending it over the fence in right center at Larks Park.
After Dylan Hamilton completed the sixth inning with one strikeout, Jason Robertson came on to finish things off for the Tigers. The sophomore collected five strikeouts over 3.0 innings of relief, allowing one run on two hits and zero walks.
Parker (0-8) completed five-plus innings, surrendering six runs on eight hits and two walks. Hamilton gave up one run on one hit and three walks over one inning of relief.
Olivas and Pennington both collected two base hits for the Tigers, while Olivas was the lone Tiger to score two runs. Pennington reached base four times, going 2-for-3 with one walk and one hit-by-pitch.
Next up for the Tigers is a midweek trip to Wichita, Kan. to wrap up their series against Newman on Tuesday (April 12) beginning at 3 p.m. The Tigers will then return to Larks Park to host Missouri Western Thursday through Saturday (April 14-16).