Fort Hays State Softball dropped both games of its conference opening doubleheader on Saturday (March 7), falling to Central Missouri, 9-0 and 9-1 (both in five innings).
 
FHSU (5-8, 0-2 MIAA) continues conference play on Sunday (March 8) against Southwest Baptist in a neutral site game, taking on the Bearcats at 3 and 5 p.m., in Warrensburg, Mo.
 
Complete recaps of Saturday's games are below…
 
Central Missouri 9, Fort Hays State 0 (Five innings)
FHSU managed just three hits and saw only four Tigers reach base in a 9-0 loss in game one of its doubleheader.
 
Kylie Strand and Samantha Villarreal were 1-for-2 offensively in the game while Paxton Duran had the Tigers' other hit. 
 
In the circle, Duran (2-4) was dealt the loss, throwing two innings with five runs allowed (two earned) and three strikeouts.  Sarah Cochran threw the other two innings of defensive play, giving up four runs (one earned) on three hits. 
 
Central Missouri had nine hits in the game, including five for extra bases.  UCM scored two in the first, three in the second and fourth innings and one in the third.
 
Central Missouri 9, Fort Hays State 1 (Five innings)
Fort Hays State was hurt by limited offense again in the doubleheader finale as Tori Beltz had the Tigers' only hit – a solo home run in the fourth. 
 
Beltz is the team leader in home runs this season with three, and was 1-for-2 on the day.  Amanda Vaupel was the Tigers' only other base runner, drawing a walk to lead off the fifth.
 
Kelsey Kimminau (2-4) threw all 4.1 innings of play as the game ended in the fifth with one out and two runners on.  Kimminau was tagged for nine runs (five earned), striking out one Jennie with three walks.
 
Central Missouri had 12 hits in the second game, though just two were for extra bases as four UCM players had multi-hit performances.