EMPORIA, Kan. – Fort Hays State Softball split its conference doubleheader at Emporia State on Saturday (Mar. 29). The Tigers pulled out the first game, a tight 2-1 victory in eight innings, before the Hornets ran away with a 12-1 win in game two.
Savanah Egger allowed just one hit in her extra-inning complete-game win. FHSU moved to 21-9 overall and 6-4 in the MIAA, while ESU went to 25-13 overall and 6-6 in the MIAA.
Fort Hays State 2, Emporia State 1
The Tigers and Hornets played to a scoreless tie through five innings before the Tigers finally broke through on the scoreboard in the sixth. Singles by
Madison Pierce and Lily Mohr and then a walk by
Lexi Mohr set up a bases-loaded two-out situation.
Paige Thexton came through in the clutch for FHSU with an RBI chopper single over the head of the third baseman to make it 1-0.
Without a hit through 5.1 innings, ESU tallied its only knock of the game with a double off the bat of Sydney Wagner in the bottom of the sixth, which set up runners at second and third. The Hornets tied the game by scoring their runner from third on a wild pitch. But, that was all the Hornets would get in a strong outing by
Savanah Egger.
Egger retired the Hornets in order in the seventh to force extra innings.
Lilly Mohr started the eighth inning with a bang for FHSU, roping a double down the right field line. A sacrifice bunt by
Regan Curry moved her over and then
Lexi Mohr came through with a clutch RBI single up the middle to put the Tigers back on top 2-1.
That was all Egger needed as she sat down the Hornets in order again in the eighth, including one out with a batter having her foot out of the box when she chopped what looked to be a single up the middle with one out. Egger dialed up her second 1-hit complete-game performance of the season, while striking out seven. She picked up her 10
th win of the season, now 10-5 overall.
Emporia State 12, Fort Hays State 1 (5 inn.)
A pair of infield singles to open the bottom of the first inning triggered a big offensive surge from the Hornets in the second game of the day. ESU went on to score four runs on five hits in the first inning to take a 4-0 lead early. They kept adding on in the next two innings, scoring once in the second and seven times in the third to lead 12-0.
The Tigers could not get much going offensively in the game and only got runners into scoring position in the fourth and fifth innings. The cashed in on a Hornet error in the fifth as
Jules Bosco drove in a run on a ground out, but it was too little, too late as the run rule came into play.
Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson had FHSU's only two hits in the contest.
Morgan Schmidt went 2.0 innings in her start in the pitching circle, allowing nine runs (eight earned) on six hits and three walks. She struck out one.
Korryn Johnson relieved in the third inning and went 2.0 innings and allowed three runs on five hits. Schmidt is now 9-4 for the season.
Jordan Harrison threw a complete game for the Hornets, surrendering just the two hits and three walks with four strikeouts. She improved to 12-3 on the season.
Fort Hays State returns home to host a pair of conference doubleheaders next weekend in Hays. FHSU plays Northeastern State on Friday (Apr. 4) before taking on Rogers State on Saturday (Apr. 5).
