Fort Hays State Baseball (7-13, 4-6 MIAA)
at Missouri Western (8-12, 3-6 MIAA)
Friday-Saturday, March 13-14, 2026
St. Joseph, Mo. • Griffon Baseball Field
Friday - 3 p.m. • Saturday (DH) - 1 p.m.
 
The Fort Hays State baseball team has adjusted its weekend schedule at Missouri Western, with the Tigers and Griffons now slated to play a single game on Friday (March 13) before wrapping up the series with a doubleheader on Saturday (March 14) due to poor weather expected Sunday.
 
First pitch is set for 3 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday from Griffon Baseball Field in St. Joseph, Mo.
 
This three-game conference series kicks off an 11-game road swing for the Tigers (7-13, 4-6 MIAA), who are coming off a three-game sweep of Arkansas-Fort Smith. Meanwhile, the Griffons (8-12, 3-6 MIAA) have lost three in a row after taking one of three against Central Missouri over the weekend and falling to Truman State in midweek action.
 
The Tigers rank fourth in the conference with a team slugging percentage of .483 while FHSU's 25 home runs are one off the league lead. The pitching staff has combined for an ERA of 8.61 while striking out 144 batters, averaging 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings.
 
Cody Bruss is one of 25 pitchers in Division II and one of just two in the MIAA with multiple complete games this season. The senior leads the team with a WHIP of 1.60 and two victories on the mound while striking out 19 batters through six appearances.
 
Brett Jacobs has a team-best 26 strikeouts, 11th-most in the MIAA, while recording a 1-2 record to date with one save.
 
Tucker Russell leads qualified pitchers with an ERA of 5.48, allowing 19 runs (13 earned) over 21.1 innings of work.
 
Derek Woolwine leads the Tigers with a batting average of .422, third-best in the MIAA, while ranking second in the league with a slugging percentage of .859. His seven home runs are one off the league lead while the senior also leads the team and ranks seventh in the conference with 25 RBI.
 
Antonio Avila paces the squad and ranks fifth in the conference with 31 base hits, including a team-high 11 doubles which ranks third in the conference.
 
Cooper Howell has hit seven doubles on the season, ranking inside the top 10 in the conference, while the senior shortstop leads the league with 57 putouts.
 
Tyson Jimenez is one of 13 players in the conference with multiple triples this season, leading the team with two.
 
Despite missing three games earlier in the year, Tony Moore has been hit by a pitch eight times in 17 appearances, fourth-most in the conference.
 
The Griffons have played well at home this season, turning in a record of 7-4 inside the friendly confines of Griffon Baseball Field while winning just one of nine on the road. MWSU is batting .281 with a slugging percentage of .459 while the pitching staff holds an ERA of 7.40 and a 1.86 WHIP. Cole Evans is 4-1 in six starts with an ERA of 3.52 while striking out 28 batters compared to just 11 walks. Luke Shannahan leads the team with a slugging percentage of .742, fifth-best in the MIAA, and is tied for third in the league with seven home runs.
 
Fort Hays State is 28-38 all-time against Missouri Western, including a 6-3 record during the Justin Wichert era. The Tigers have won four in a row against the Griffons, including a three-game sweep last season. FHSU is 1-2 on the road against the Griffons under Wichert, taking one of three in the last trip to St. Joseph, Mo. in 2023.
 
Looking ahead, the Tigers will take on Washburn in midweek action on Tuesday (March 17, 3 p.m.) in Topeka, Kan. before taking on Missouri Southern in a three-game series next weekend (March 20-22) in Joplin, Mo.