TOPEKA, Kan. – Fort Hays State is now 10-12 overall on the season after picking up a split with Truman on Saturday afternoon (Mar. 5) at Gahnstrom Field. The Tigers led 2-0 in game one, but fell on a late rally by the Bulldogs by a score of 4-2. FHSU bounced back to win handily in game two by a score of 7-0.
Truman 4, Fort Hays State 2
Fort Hays State took a 2-0 lead in the first game of the day by hitting solo home runs in the third and fifth innings, coming off the bats of
Kiana Blake and
Sara Breckbill.
Savanah Egger had a potential shutout brewing for the second day in a row, but ran into trouble in the sixth. Truman got two aboard with singles and then Maria McGonegle hit a three-run home run to instantly put Truman in the lead 3-2. A double by the Bulldogs in the seventh set up an RBI single later in the inning, pushing their lead to 4-2.
Fort Hays State got one runner aboard in the seventh, but had no luck with a late rally. Egger struck out a season-high 12 batters even though she had to settle for the loss, now 4-5 on the season. She scattered nine hits and walked just one. Nicole Havel picked up the complete game win for Truman, finishing with six hits and seven walks allowed. She struck out five.
Fort Hays State 7, Truman 0
Fort Hays State took control of game two by scoring twice in the second, once in the third, and four times in the fourth.
Bailey Carlson had another big effort in the pitching circle for a second-straight day. She threw a complete game with five strikeouts and allowed just four hits. She moved to 2-0 on the season with her first complete-game shutout.
Sarah Tiffany set up the scoring in the second with a leadoff double.
Elise Capra then doubled her home and later came in to score on a sacrifice fly by
Jessica Espinoza. In the third, Tiffany delivered an RBI double to make it 3-0.
The Tigers set up a big rally in the fourth when Espinoza led off with a single and then
Lindsey Kelly and
Kiana Blake drew walks to load the bases.
Madison Pierce brought the first run home with a sacrifice fly, then
Erika Flynn hit a two-RBI double. Tiffany capped the rally with an RBI single. Tiffany finished the game 4-of-4 at the plate.
The Tigers will begin MIAA play next weekend at Northwest Missouri State and Missouri Western.
