HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State baseball team jumped in front of Emporia State early before the Hornets pulled away down the stretch for a 13-2 win on Saturday (March 5), leveling the series at one win each. The Tigers and Hornets will meet up in the rubber match of the series Sunday afternoon beginning at 1 p.m.
 
The Hornets scored first with a two-out rally in the top of the first before FHSU quickly struck back in the home half of the inning. Jenner Kehe reached base on an error before Ed Scott and Grant Schmidt hit back-to-back doubles, giving the Tigers a 2-1 lead. Scott doubled off the base of the wall in center, putting two in scoring position for the senior left fielder. Schmidt followed with a double of his own to left center, driving in a pair of runs in the process.
 
Tiger starter Hunter Parker worked out of a jam in the second, leaving the bases loaded with a strikeout, before Emporia State regained the lead with three runs in the third. The Hornets scored one more off Parker in the fourth before scoring eight runs in four innings off the Tiger bullpen.
 
The Tigers had runners on base in six of the eight innings, but FHSU was unable to manufacture a run after the opening inning. Scott and Schmidt each had two hits, as did third baseman Mason Holton, with those three Tigers accounting for all six FHSU base knocks.
 
Parker (0-2) struck out eight batters over 4.0 innings of work, tied for the most by a Tiger this season. He gave up five runs, just three of which were earned, on seven hits and four walks. Tanner Lukowski (1.1 IP, 3 ER), Espen Donaldson (1.1 IP, 3 ER) and Dustin Menard (1.1 IP, 2 ER) all added one strikeout, giving the Tiger staff a season-high 11 strikeouts.
 
ESU's Jarrett Seaton (2-1) struck out nine batters over 6.0 innings of work, allowing just one unearned run on five hits.