FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State baseball team dropped game two of its series against Missouri Western Friday evening by a score of 8-5. The Tigers (19-13, 7-12 MIAA) took a 4-0 lead in the first two innings before the Griffons (15-16, 7-12 MIAA) clawed back to even the weekend series at one game each.
Tiger starter Cade Flaherty allowed a leadoff single before retiring the next six batters he faced, setting the stage for the offense. Cesar Saavedra led off the bottom of the first with an infield single before Brady Kreutzer worked a walk. The pair later came around to score on a two-out double to left off the bat of Jose Cintron.
Kreutzer doubled the lead in the home half of the second with a two-out, two-run home run to straightaway center.
The Griffons pushed across two runs of their own in the third, but Flaherty was able to get out of a bases-loaded jam with an inning-ending double play. Missouri Western then took the lead in the fourth with three unearned runs before Sebastian Burgos tied the score at five with his second home run of the season, a line-drive shot over the fence in left field.
Spencer Maley worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth inning with a called third strike before allowing an unearned run in the top of the sixth. The Griffons tacked on insurance runs in the eighth and ninth innings, stretching the lead to 8-5. Fort Hays State had runners on base in all but one of the final five innings, including a runner at third base twice, but were unable to push across another run.
Flaherty worked 3 2/3 innings as the starter, allowing five runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out two batters. Maley (1-1) took the loss after allowing one unearned run on three hits and two walks alongside one strikeout in 2 1/3 innings of work. Freshman Brandon Chavez worked the final three innings, allowing two runs on three hits and one walk while adding one strikeout.
Saavedra and Kreutzer each had two of FHSU's eight hits on the day. Kreutzer and Cintron each drove in two runs, with Kreutzer scoring twice as well.
UP NEXT
The Tigers and Griffons will wrap up the series on Saturday (March 30) beginning at 1 p.m. at Larks Park.