Box Score

A five-run seventh inning lifted Fort Hays State to a 7-2 win over Wayne State College on Sunday afternoon (Apr. 29) at Larks Park in Hays. The Tigers swept the two-game weekend series after a 5-3 win on Saturday night. FHSU is now 25-19 overall.

FHSU jumped on top early with two runs in the first inning. The Tigers stole four bases in the inning to help manufacture the runs. Mace Krol had an RBI groundout and JC Ochoa had an RBI single.

The Tigers had a rash of errors in the second inning, committing all three they had in the game, which led to one run. The Wildcats eventually tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth on a solo home run by C.J. Nolen. That would be the final inning for FHSU starter Andy Lewton, who got out of a bases loaded jam to keep the game tied.

Jesse Hart entered in relief to start the fifth inning and cruised the rest of the way, keeping the Wildcat bats quiet. He allowed just two hits and three walks over 5.0 innings with two strikeouts, moving to 4-1 on the season.

The Tigers finally broke through in the seventh as Nash Smith led off the inning with a single. A Ryan Busboom double with one out put runners at second and third. The Wildcats opted to intentionally walk Mace Krol, but JC Ochoa worked a full-count walk to push across the go ahead run. Brandon Hoefler followed with an RBI single, then Jay Sanders made it 5-2 with a sacrifice fly RBI. Anthony Salinas and Chris Santoscoy capped the rally with a pair of RBI singles to push the lead to five.

The Tigers wrap up the regular season next weekend in Hays with a four-game series against Missouri Western, the second-place team in the MIAA. Fort Hays State is currently fourth, but just a half game back of Emporia State.