HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State Softball improved to 18-16 overall and 11-5 in the MIAA with a doubleheader sweep of Northwest Missouri State on Saturday (Apr. 17) at Tiger Stadium. The Bearcats slipped to 13-17 overall and 7-11 in the MIAA. FHSU held on for a 3-2 win in game one, then took game two with a walk-off 2-RBI single by Betsy Parmley that flipped a 4-3 deficit into a 5-4 win.
 
Game 1: Fort Hays State 3, Northwest Missouri State 2
Fort Hays State took an early 2-0 lead in the opener when Loren Beggs drove a ball high into the air in right field. A bit of a breeze carried the ball over a scrambling fielder that resulted in a two-run triple.
 
The Bearcats leveled the score in the third inning with three straight hits to open the inning. A double, triple, then single instantly made the score 2-2, but Tiger pitcher Michaelanne Nelson stopped any further rally from the Bearcats with a pair of strikeouts to end the threat.
 
The Tigers grabbed the lead right back in the bottom of the third when Jessica Espinoza drove home the decisive run of the game with a single up the middle.
 
Nelson shut the Bearcats down the rest of the way, never allowing a runner further than first base the remainder of the game. She finished with eight strikeouts in another complete game effort, allowing seven hits with a walk. Breck Dickey also pitched a complete game for the Bearcats, allowing seven hits and four walks. She struck out two.
 
Game 2: Fort Hays State 5, Northwest Missouri State 4
The Tigers had to surge twice in game two to eventually get past the Bearcats with just one out remaining. Northwest Missouri State led twice in the game, only to see the Tigers load the bases in the seventh and win on a walk-off 2-RBI single by Betsy Parmley.
 
The Bearcats scored the first three runs of the game, plating one in the third and two in the fourth. Bearcat starting pitcher Raven Defrain helped her own cause with an RBI single in the third, then Jacee Winn drove home a run in the fourth. The Bearcats picked up an extra run on a throwing error by the Tigers.
 
The Tigers finally mounted a rally against Defrain in the fourth as Loren Beggs and Jessica Espinoza both singled. They moved up a base on a passed ball, then Kristen Reed drove home the first Tiger run on a sacrifice fly. Elise Capra came through with a pinch-hit RBI single, then Sarah Tiffany completed the rally with an RBI double to the right-center gap. The Tigers and Bearcats were deadlocked at 3-3.
 
Northwest Missouri State jumped back in front in the sixth on a 2-out RBI single by Olivia Daugherty, but the Tigers had one more push left in them in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Lily Sale started the final Tiger rally with a walk. Grace Philop moved her up a base on a sacrifice bunt. Sara Breckbill walked and a chopper by Loren Beggs found its way through the left side to load the bases. The Bearcats picked up the second out by cutting down the potential tying run at the plate on an infield grounder. However, Parmley entered the game as a pinch hitter and made the most of her opportunity by winning the game on a flare to right field that fell out of the reach of Daugherty trying to make a diving catch.
 
The Tigers will host Missouri Western on Sunday in a battle of teams in the top four of the MIAA standings. The doubleheader begins at 12 pm.