DENVER – Fort Hays State dropped both games of a doubleheader at Metro State University of Denver on Tuesday evening (Mar. 21). The Roadrunners took both games with late rallies, scoring four in the sixth inning of game one to break a tie, and then rallying with six runs in the seventh to win game two. The Tigers are now 9-19 overall on the season.
 
Game 1: Metro State 6, Fort Hays State 2
 
Carrie Clarke struggled to open the first inning in the pitching circle, giving up three consecutive walks. Metro State took advantage and scored two runs to take an early 2-0 lead. From that point, Clarke settled in and threw well the remainder of the game, though a defensive mistake late in the game led to four unearned runs.
 
In the fifth, Bailey Kennedy laced a doubled to the right center gap to score Kylie Strand, who led off the inning with a double, and Tess Gray. That knotted the score at 2-2 and gave the Tigers new life after a shaky start to the game.
 
However, Kennedy had the defensive mistake in the sixth inning that led to a four-run Metro State rally. She dropped a fly ball that would have been the second out of the inning. Clarke retired the next batter so the inning should have been over with the side retired in order. Instead, Metro State strung together four straight hits to produce four runs and went on to win the game 6-2.
 
Clarke allowed seven hits, but did not allow another walk after her rash of walks allowed at the start of the game. She struck out one and moved to 4-4 on the year. Hayley Fields threw a complete game for the Roadrunners, moving to 8-1 on the year with seven hits allowed with one strikeout.
 
Game 2: Metro State 9, Fort Hays State 8
 
The Tigers gained complete control of the second game with a six-run first inning, only to squander it by allowing six runs to the Roadrunners in the seventh inning.
 
The Tigers had been struggling to score runs in several games over the past week, but finally broke out of the rut with a six-run rally in the first. Veronica Knittig started the rally with a two-run home run down the left field line. Collette West and Candace Bollig each walked and Kylie Strand singled to load the bases. Bailey Boxberger had an RBI single to make it 3-0, then Tess Gray drew a walk to force a run in and make it 4-0. Jeni Mohr capped the rally with a two-RBI single down the left field line to make it 6-0.
 
Metro State threatened to erase all the work done by the Tigers in the bottom of the first. Carissa Terry hit a two-run homer and the Roadrunners loaded the bases before a groundout ended the threat to leave the score at 6-2.
 
The Tigers extended their lead back out to six when Boxberger knocked home two more runs with another single. Metro State answered with a run in the second and a pair of walks loaded the bases again, but a lineout to first ended another threat leaving the Tigers ahead 8-3 after two innings.
 
After the Tigers roughed up MSUD starter Darby McGhee for eight runs, they could not find a way to get a run off reliever Cassidy Smith, who allowed seven hits over 6.0 innings. Not being able to add on runs when they had the chance came back to bite the Tigers late.
 
Hailey Chapman struggled with walking batters the entire game, and it finally hurt her most in the last inning. Giving up a solo home run to start the seventh seemed harmless with the Tigers still up 8-4. The next batter grounded out, but then Chapman's eighth walk of the game triggered an enormous rally for the Roadrunners. The next batter singled and then Chapman issued her ninth walk of the game to load the bases. An error then allowed two runs to score to make it 8-6. A double made it 8-7 and put runners at second and third. Terry, who had the first-inning homer, turned into the hero for MSUD with a walk-off two-run double to right field.
 
Chapman took the loss allowing 11 hits and nine walks. She is now 5-11 on the season. Smith moved to 10-5 on the season with the win in relief as she struck out four batters.