TOPEKA, Kan. – Fort Hays State Softball split a pair of games for the second straight day at the Washburn Invitational in Topeka, Kansas on Saturday (Feb. 29). The Tigers fell to Sioux Falls 5-3 in their first contest of the day before blanking Southwest Minnesota State by a score of 4-0 in the nightcap. FHSU moved to 12-8 overall on the season.
 
Sioux Falls 5, Fort Hays State 3
The Tigers fell victim to extra-base hits in their first contest of the day. Sioux Falls scored all five of its runs on a pair of doubles and a triple, building a 5-0 lead early. A late rally by FHSU in the seventh came up short.
 
Kaitlyn VanDerZwaag of Sioux Falls delivered an early blow with a two-run double in the first. The Cougars added on in the third with an RBI double by Shayla Running and a two-RBI triple by Emily Cheloha. They led 5-0 through two and a half innings.
 
FHSU plated its first run in the third thanks to an error that set up a sacrifice fly RBI for Alexis Velazquez. The Tigers tried to rally late in the seventh with back-to-back singles to open the inning. Kristen Reed delivered a pinch-hit two-RBI single to cut the lead to 5-3, but with the potential tying run at the plate twice, the Tigers grounded out twice to end the game.
 
Sydney Nieveen threw a complete game for the Cougars, allowing nine hits and two walks. She struck out two. Hailey Chapman took the loss, lasting just 2.1 innings with four runs allowed. Megan Jamison pitched the final 4.1 innings, allowing one run.
 
Fort Hays State 4, Southwest Minnesota State 0
Michaelanne Nelson gave the Tigers a strong start in the circle for the second straight day, earning her second-straight complete game shutout. She allowed just three hits, walked two, and hit a batter, but struck out seven. Nelson is now 6-2 overall this season.
 
A Sara Breckbill single and Elise Capra double set up an RBI for Lily Sale in the second inning. FHSU extended its lead out to four in the fifth when Kristen Reed had a two-RBI single and Alexis Velazquez followed with an RBI single as well. That was plenty of cushion for Nelson in the circle.
 
Shelby Bloemendaal took the loss for SMSU, throwing 5.0 innings. She allowed all four runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out four. Megan Cull relieved the final two innings for the Mustangs.
 
Fort Hays State closes out the Washburn Invitational on Sunday with games against St. Cloud State and Minnesota-Crookston. Both games are at Hummer Sports Park as the game against SCSU begins at 9 am, followed by the game against UMC at 11 am.