TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Fort Hays State opened MIAA play on Friday (Mar. 9) at Northeastern State. The RiverHawks shutout the Tigers twice by scores of 3-0 and 8-0. The Tigers are now 4-16 overall, 0-2 in the MIAA, while the RiverHawks improved to 10-8 overall, 2-0 in the MIAA.
Game 1: Northeastern State 3, Fort Hays State 0
The Tigers scratched out just three hits, each in separate innings, in a 3-0 loss to the RiverHawks.
Terran Caldwell,
Veronica Knittig, and
Grace Philop all recorded singles and the Tigers had just one runner reach second base in the game.
The RiverHawks picked up single runs in the second, fifth, and sixth innings. Two of the runs were on RBI singles, while the other was on an RBI double. FHSU starter
Hailey Chapman went the distance, allowing seven hits and four walks, while striking out five.
Northeastern State pitcher Gail Young threw a complete game, walking just one to go with the three hits allowed. She struck out three.
Game 2: Northeastern State 8, Fort Hays State 0
Northeastern State scored single runs in the first, second, and third innings, then erupted for five runs in the fourth taking advantage of a Tiger error to invoke the run rule through five innings.
Like the first game, the Tigers scratched out three hits, all in separate innings.
Sara Breckbill recorded the only extra base hit on the day for the Tigers, a double in the second inning. She reached third base in that inning with one out, but a pair of groundouts ended the threat. Later in the game,
Bailey Boxberger and
Tess Gray recorded singles.
The Tigers had runners at second and third with one out in the fourth, but once again could not drive in any runs as the threat ended with a strikeout and groundout.
Sierra Rodriguez took the loss for FHSU, allowing three runs on four hits over 2.1 innings.
Carrie Clarke allowed five unearned runs in an inning of relief.
Hailey Chapman recorded the last two outs for FHSU.
Sydney Balderrama walked just one to go with the three hits allowed for NSU. She struck out four in the winning effort.
The Tigers head to Central Oklahoma for another conference doubleheader on Saturday (Mar. 10), starting at 12 pm.
