HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State baseball team dropped game two of its series against Missouri Western Friday afternoon (April 15), 13-1. The Tigers totaled seven hits and had runners on base in six different innings, but the Griffon pitching staff managed to get out of the jam unscathed in almost every occurrence.
 
After both teams left a runner on base in a scoreless first inning, Missouri Western was first on the board with three runs on four hits in the second. After that the Griffons slowly built their lead, scoring single runs in the third, fourth, fifth and seventh innings before erupting for six runs in the eighth.
 
The Tigers had scoring chances in all but the second and sixth innings, when they were retired in order. Jenner Kehe led off the first with a single, Trip Pennington opened the third with a double, Brady Kreutzer reached on an error in the fourth, Tico Olivas singled with two outs in the fifth and Kade Wallace opened the eighth with a base hit, but all were left stranded by the end of the inning.
 
Fort Hays State managed to string a few hits together in the seventh for its lone run of the afternoon. Pennington beat out an infield single with one out before Griffin Brunson followed with a bloop single to center. Kehe then poked his second hit of the day past a diving second baseman, plating Pennington from second base.
 
Mason Holton (0-2) got the start for the Tigers, allowing six runs (five earned) on 11 hits over 4.1 innings of work. Zach Berg was first out of the bullpen, finishing 3.1 innings and allowing five runs on six hits. Berg retired the first seven batters he faced and gave up only one run over his first three innings of work before being tagged for four runs in the eighth. Jacob Ensz got the final out on a strikeout after allowing two more runs to score.
 
The Tigers and Griffons will face off in the rubber game of the series Saturday (April 16) beginning at 1 p.m. at Larks Park.