FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State softball team opened conference play Saturday with a pair of come-from-behind wins over Central Missouri, winning the opener 6-5 in walk-off fashion before taking the second contest 5-4. The Tigers improve to 10-4 overall and 2-0 in league play, while the Jennies are now 8-8 overall and 0-2 in MIAA action.
Savanah Egger and Morgan Schmidt both tossed complete game victories on the day, combining to strike out 18 batters while FHSU hitters struck out just eight times.
Jules Bosco and Madison Pierce both collected three hits on the day while Marisela Landa drove in a team-high three RBI.
The Tigers will wrap up the weekend Sunday (March 9) when FHSU hosts Missouri Western in another conference doubleheader beginning at noon.
Game 1: Fort Hays State 6, Central Missouri 5
The Jennies opened the scoring with a three-run home run in the second, but FHSU quickly got one of those runs back when Lilly Mohr drilled a solo home run to left field.
Egger bounced back after the home run, retiring 13 of the next 15 batters to give the Tiger bats a chance to cut into the Jennie lead. Fort Hays State did just that with three unearned runs in the fourth inning. The frame was extended when an out call at second base was overturned via a coaches challenge. An error later gave Abbey Duarte the chance to make it 3-2 with an RBI groundout before Landa gave the Tigers the lead with a two-RBI single to left.
The Tigers added another run in the fifth thanks to doubles from Audrey Gillespie and Paige Thexton, putting the home team in front 5-3.Down to their last out, the Jennies mounted a rally in the seventh with a double, a single and a walk. With the bases loaded, Egger got a fly ball to center but it was dropped by the Tiger fielder, allowing the Jennies to the game at five with two unearned runs.
Fort Hays State manufactured the winning run in the home half of the inning with two singles and a sacrifice bunt. UCM's Andi Siebeneck seemed to get out of the inning with a routine grounder to short, but it was also misplayed by the Jennie defender, allowing FHSU to win on a walk-off error.
Egger (5-2) struck out eight batters over 7.0 innings of work, allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits and one walk.
Game 2: Fort Hays State 5, Central Missouri 4
The visitors again struck first in the second contest, pushing across four runs on four hits in the top of the third. UCM's Emily Brouse puzzled the Tiger hitters early on, allowing only one hit over the first four innings.
Schmidt rebounded after the big inning, retiring 14 of the last 19 UCM hitters to keep the Tigers in the game.
The home team finally broke through in the fifth, plating four runs on three hits and a pair of walks to tie things up. Bosco got the Tigers on the board with a bases-loaded double down the right-field line, plating a pair to cut the deficit in half. Pierce followed with a two-out, two-RBI single to center, tying the game at four.
Fort Hays State took the lead for the first time in the sixth when Regan Curry led off with a single. The shortstop advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt before scampering home on a single from Landa, giving the Tigers a 5-4 lead.
The Jennies were able to get runners on the corners with one out in the seventh, but a pop up and a brilliant diving catch from Kaydawn Haag in center field secured the doubleheader sweep.
Schmidt (5-2) struck out 10 batters in her 7.0 innings of work, allowing four runs on nine hits and two walks.