FHSU Athletics
WARRENSBURG, Mo. - Four fielding errors doomed the 24th-ranked Fort Hays State baseball team in Friday's series opener at No. 3 Central Missouri, with the Mules winning 7-2. The Tigers (20-7, 15-3 MIAA) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but the Mules (21-6, 12-3 MIAA) scored seven unanswered runs down the stretch to seal the win.
Tony Moore got the Tigers going with a double in the top of the first. Derrek Woolwine later worked a six-pitch walk with two outs to bring Brady Kreutzer to the plate, who delivered with a two-RBI double to left center.
Ty Riley retired the side in order in the bottom of the first before working out of trouble to leave the bases loaded in the second. UCM's starter Evan O'Toole settled in after the first, facing the minimum in each of the next four innings.
Central Missouri evened the score with a pair of unearned runs in the third before taking a 3-2 lead with another run in the fifth inning. Fort Hays State had a chance to tie in the top of the sixth but stranded a man at third. The Tigers then had two on with no outs in the eighth, but Mules reliever JD McReynolds escaped the jam with three consecutive strikeouts.
The Mules then added to its lead with four runs on four hits and two Tiger errors in the bottom of the eighth before McReynolds retired the side in order in the ninth to lock down the win.
Riley (5-1) suffered his first loss of the season after allowing just one earned run (three total) on five hits and five walks while striking out five over 5 1/3 innings of work. Kaleb Carpenter allowed four runs (three earned) in 2 2/3 innings of relief, giving up five hits and walking one. Kreutzer collected two of FHSU's five hits, with Moore, Jose Cintron and Luis Ayala all adding one base hit.
The Tigers will look to bounce back when the teams resume the series on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m.