Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Fort Hays State basebal earned a Saturday split with Southwest Baptist to take three of the four games in the weekend series in Bolivar, Mo. The Tigers dropped Game 1 6-3, but bounced back to win Game 2 11-4. Fort Hays State moved to 22-19 overall and 19-16 in the MIAA, vaulting up to fourth place in the MIAA standings for the time being.

Game 1: Southwest Baptist 6, Fort Hays State 3

The Tigers fell in a hole early that they could not recover from as SBU scored five runs on five hits in the first to take a 5-0 lead. That would be enough offense for the Bearcats in the seven-inning affair.

SBU scored one in the third to make it 6-0 before FHSU finally broke through with a pair of runs in the fourth on an RBI triple by Ryan Busboom followed by an RBI single by Mace Krol. FHSU added its final run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly RBI by Sheldon Howell.

Jesse Hart took the loss for the Tigers, lasting 4.1 innings in his start. All six runs he allowed were earned, allowing nine hits and two walks with no strikeouts. It was the first loss of the year for Hart, now at 3-1.

Dustin Caplette picked up the win for SBU, allowing just three hits in five innings of work. Both runs he allowed were earned. He walked three and struck out three.

Game 2: Fort Hays State 11, Southwest Baptist 4

Fort Hays State took a 2-0 lead in the third inning with an RBI single from Sheldon Howell and a sacrifice fly RBI by JC Ochoa. The Tigers would hold the lead the remainder of the game, even though they did not score again till the seventh inning when they errupted for five runs.

Andy Lewton gave the Tigers a solid starting effort, lasting 6.0 innings. He held the Bearcats scoreless through four innings on just one hit before surrendering his first run in the fifth on an RBI single. He allowed a walk and RBI double in the seventh before leaving the game, but left with a 7-2 advantage. Lewton finished with four hits allowed, four walks, and six strikeouts.

Kyle Leroy pitched 3.0 innings of relief to grab his second save of the season. He allowed two runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Both runs allowed came in the ninth after the Tigers scored four more times in the eighth to push their lead to 11-2.

Nash Smith triggered the rally in the seventh with a two-run home run. The Tigers loaded the bases after that, then Mace Krol and Brandon Hoefler had back-to-back RBI singles. Brett Macari was hit by a pitch to generate the last run of the inning.

FHSU struck for four more in the eighth with a pair of two-RBI singles from Ryan Busboom and Hoefler.

Fort Hays State has three non-conference games scheduled next week, with a single nine-inning game against Bethany College on Tuesday (Apr. 24) and then a pair of single nine-inning contests Saturday and Sunday (Apr. 28-29) against Wayne State College. FHSU finishes the rest of what's on its schedule at home, which includes a run of seven games.