Fort Hays State Softball closes out a 10-game homestand this weekend with conference doubleheaders against Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri State. The Tigers welcome the Griffons to Hays, Kan., on Friday (April 3) at 3 p.m., and end the weekend with a Noon start time on Saturday (April 4) against the Bearcats.
FHSU (19-14, 10-6 MIAA) is coming off a mid-week sweep of Newman and looks to reach the 20-win margin for the season on Friday. FHSU has failed to reach 20 wins just one time in program history (2006). This season, the Tigers are hitting .276 as a team at the plate and hold a 2.54 combined ERA in the circle, with all four pitchers posting sub-3.00 ERAs individually.
Tori Beltz (.337) leads the team with 12 doubles, six home runs, 18 walks and 29 RBI this season and has started all 33 games at first base. In game one on Tuesday against Newman, Beltz tied the school single-game record for doubles with three two-baggers in the 9-3 victory.
Courtney Dobson (.310) has raised her average nearly 100 points in the previous 12 games and is second on the team in that category. The junior has started all 33 games, splitting time in the middle infield with seven doubles and 11 RBI this season.
Samantha Villarreal (.304) and
Amanda Vaupel (.301) are the other two Tigers above the .300 mark and each have six doubles on the year. Vaupel is second on the team with four home runs and is slugging .476.
Paxton Duran (10-6) leads the team in wins, innings pitched (105.2) and strikeouts (115), holding opponents to a .248 batting average and posting a 2.52 ERA (lowest among starters).
Kelsey Kimminau (8-7) has started 16 games and has nine complete game performances. The senior from Arvada, Colo., has tossed 94.2 innings and struck out 50 with a 2.74 ERA.
MWSU (26-10, 10-2 MIAA) had its 16-game winning streak snapped last week but remains third in the MIAA standings currently. The Griffons' Tiffany Gillaspy leads the MIAA with 12 home runs this season and is the team's leader in batting average (.431), RBI (34), home runs and doubles (12). Morgan Ratthman has five triples and 21 stolen bases to go with a .359 average. Shyanne Saldino has thrown a majority of innings for the Griffons this season and holds a 14-4 record with a 3.27 ERA.
NWMSU (14-16, 7-5) sits just behind the Tigers in the MIAA standings with the seventh place slot currently. The Bearcats are hitting .279 as a team with three batters above the .300 mark – Stephanie Mark (.448, 34 RBI, nine home runs, seven doubles), Rebecca Maher (.346, 23 RBI, four home runs, four doubles) and Chantel Adams (.322, 26 RBI, five home runs, eight doubles). In the circle, Kendle Schieber has thrown 61.2 innings with 52 strikeouts and a 2.50 ERA while Sarah Baldwin holds a 2.94 ERA in 90.1 innings pitched.
