Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 No. 13 Fort Hays State closed out a 10-game homestand by splitting a doubleheader with Washburn on Saturday (March 15).  FHSU dropped Game 1, 6-3, before taking the second contest, 4-2.
 
The Tigers improved to 15-8 overall and 5-3 in the MIAA, while Washburn is now 10-4 (6-2 MIAA).
 
FHSU hits the road next week to battle Arkansas Tech on Wednesday (March 19) before returning to conference action at Northeastern State and Central Oklahoma (March 21 and 22).
 
Game 1 – FHSU 3, Washburn 6
 
Fort Hays State held a 2-0 lead early but was outdone by Washburn's 11 hits in the first game of the day, dropping a 6-3 contest at Tiger Stadium.
 
Kelsey Kimminau (6-2) threw 4.2 innings, giving up five runs on nine hits with two strikeouts in the loss.  Katlyn Kern closed out the final 2.1 innings, giving up one run on two hits with two strikeouts. 
 
At the plate, Kylie Strand and Tori Beltz were each 1-for-3 with an RBI while Kellsi Olsen was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk.
 
The Tigers started the scoring, picking up a run on two hits in the first.  With one out, Adame singled in the infield before stealing second base during Strand's at-bat.  With a 2-0 count, Strand took a pitch up the middle for an RBI single, scoring Adame.
 
FHSU pushed the lead to 2-0 in the second, starting with Samantha Villarreal's lead-off single.  After replacing Villarreal as a pinch runner, Kelli Koehler stole second base with two outs and moved to third on a passed ball.  With two outs, Olsen singled through the left side to plate Koehler.
 
Washburn tied the game in the third with two hits, including an RBI triple from Samantha Carson.  In the fourth, WU took the lead on Jordan Erickson's home run before tacking on two more in the fifth, and one more in the sixth.

Down to their final inning, the Tigers manufactured one run after Courtney Dobson drew a leadoff walk, but it was too late.  Dobson moved to second on Villarreal's ground out and took third on a passed ball.  Tori Beltz's ground ball out scored Dobson.
 
Game 2 – FHSU 4, Washburn 2
 
Fort Hays State used a three-run fifth inning to clinch the win in the doubleheader finale, racking up nine hits as a team.
 
Paxton Duran (8-4) threw a complete game, striking out eight and allowing two runs on six hits. 
 
Offensively, Duran went 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI, while Bianca Adame was 2-for-4.  Courtney Dobson finished 1-for-3 with an RBI double, and Danie Brinkmann went 1-for-2 with a walk.
 
Rilee Krier and Adame started the game with two straight singles, as Krier took third on an overthrow as Adame reached safely.  During Kylie Strand's at-bat, Krier came home on a passed ball.
 
WU tied the game in the fourth, using two hits, including Marina Quimby's RBI single to put the game at 1-1.
 
FHSU though, put the game away in the fifth, taking advantage of three hits and an Ichabod error for three runs.  With one out, Strand reached on an error by Shelby Erickson and moved to second on Brinkmann's single through the left side.  In the next at-bat, Dobson took the first pitch she saw over the center fielder's head for an RBI double, scoring Strand.  Brinkmann came home on Villarreal's sacrifice fly to right, and with two outs, Duran doubled to left to score Dobson.
 
In the seventh, Quimby hit a leadoff home run, but Duran answered with a strikeout before getting a ground out and a foul pop out to end the game.