FHSU Athletics
ALVA, Okla. – Fort Hays State split a non-conference doubleheader with Northwestern Oklahoma State on Tuesday (Mar. 24). The Tigers outlasted the Rangers in a back-and-forth game one battle, 12-9 in 8 innings, but fell in the second contest 6-2. FHSU moved to 15-16 overall for the season with the results, while NWOSU moved to 10-21 overall.
Game 1: Fort Hays State 12, Northwestern Oklahoma State 9 (8 inn.)
Fort Hays State took a wild first contest by three runs, outscoring NWOSU 4-1 in the extra frame to secure a win. The Tigers initially led 6-0 only to see the Rangers rally to a 7-6 lead in the middle innings. FHSU moved back in front 8-7 in the sixth, but the Rangers tied the game in the seventh to force extra innings. A pair of two-run home runs by Lilly Mohr and Paige Thexton made the difference in the extra inning.
FHSU jumped out to the 6-0 lead with a run in the second and five in the third. Kory Schoenfeld drove in the first run with an RBI single. An Abbey Duarte 3-run homer in the third made it 4-0, Lilly Mohr immediately followed with her first homer of the game to make it 5-0, then Hannah Green drew a bases loaded walk to force in a run.
A pair of Tiger errors elongated the NWOSU fourth inning as the Rangers scored two unearned runs. An inning later, the Rangers offense came alive with a five-run, six-hit inning to rally past the Tigers into the lead 7-6.
The Tigers bounced back with an RBI double by Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson and an Alexis Mohr sacrifice fly RBI in the sixth to retake the lead 8-7.
Northwestern Oklahoma was very close to winning the game by walk-off fashion in the bottom of the seventh, tying the game at 8-8 and then having the bases loaded with one out. A force play at home plate had to be reviewed to keep the game alive for the Tigers as coach Adrian Pilkington's challenge was successful. The umpire initially thought Tiger catcher Audrey Gillespie pulled her foot from home plate on the throw home, but review clearly showed that Gillespie held the plate while reaching to catch the ball for the out. The Tigers escaped the jam to force extra innings.
The tiebreaker format with a runner on second came into play in the eighth. With one out, Lilly Mohr cranked a two-run homer to center field, her second homer of the ballgame and 11th of the season, to put the Tigers up 10-8. Ramirez-Johnson then got on by single and scored on a two-run blast by Thexton. FHSU took a 12-8 to the bottom of the eighth. The Rangers managed just one run as the Tigers secured the win.
Solana Carpenter picked up a win in relief for FHSU, throwing the final 2.2 innings. She allowed just one hit and struck out two. Korryn Johnson pitched the first 4.0 innings of the game and the gap to Carpenter was bridged by Claire Kirby (0.2 IP) and Abbey Duarte (0.2 IP).
Grace Hulsey took the loss for NWOSU, going to 1-7 on the season. She allowed the final six runs (five earned) to the Tigers in 3.0 innings of work.
Game 2: Northwestern Oklahoma State 6, Fort Hays State 2
Fort Hays State held an early 1-0 lead in the second contest, but Northwestern Oklahoma moved in front for good with two runs in the first and three in the third. The teams traded one run each in the fourth and then went scoreless the remainder of the contest.
Hannah Green came in to score on some chaos created off a shallow fly out by Abbey Duarte in the first inning. NWOSU tried to throw behind a Tiger runner at second, but Green eventually came in to score from third on the play.
Green drove in the other Tiger run in the fourth with an RBI single. She finished 3-for-4 at the plate in the game. Peyton Shepard and Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson each had two hits in the game.
Solana Carpenter took the loss, pitching the first 2.1 innings of the game. She allowed five runs on six hits. Myah Wolfe pitched the final 3.2 innings and allowed one run (none earned) on four hits.
Chloe Brown was the winning pitcher for NWOSU, throwing 4.0 innings. She allowed two runs on six hits and struck out one. Katelyn Bezdicek pitched the final 3.0 innings for NWOSU and notched a save.
The Tigers return to MIAA play on Friday (Mar. 27) with a doubleheader at Northwest Missouri State. Game time is set for 1 p.m. in Maryville.