ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Fort Hays State picked up a split for the second-straight day in MIAA play, winning its first contest at Missouri Western on Saturday (Mar. 14) by a score of 6-5. The Tigers fell in the second game to the receiving votes Griffons by a score of 3-1. With the win in game one, Fort Hays State snapped a 15-game winless drought at Griffon Softball Field, which dated back to the 2008 season.
 
Game 1: Fort Hays State 6, Missouri Western 5
Fort Hays State took a back-and-forth battle in the first contest of the day. The Tigers initially led with a run in the second, but the Griffons moved on top with two runs in the third. Missouri Western scored three more times in the fifth to lead 5-1, but the Tigers used a big 5-run rally in the sixth inning to get past the Griffons.
 
An error by the Griffons helped extend the second inning, which led to a Kaydawn Haag RBI single with two outs for the game's first run. The Griffons flipped the game in their favor by a run in the third with five singles, two which produced RBIs. The Griffons benefitted from a Tiger error in the fifth, resulting in a three-run inning.
 
The Tiger comeback started with a Lilly Mohr solo home run to lead off the sixth. Then the Tigers' speed game became a factor as Kory Schoenfeld outraced the Griffon first baseman to the bag for an RBI single to make it 5-3. A walk to Hannah Green loaded the bases for the Tigers and then Peyton Shepard legged out a chopper for an RBI single, but the Griffons had a pair of throwing errors on the play following the hit that allowed the tying and go-ahead runs to come in.
 
Korryn Johnson pitched the first 4.0 innings of the game and allowed four runs with three strikeouts before handing the ball to Mackenzie Hudson in relief for 1.1 innings. Hudson allowed one run and struck out one. Solana Carpenter stepped up in the clutch in the sixth, entering the game with two runners on base and one out. She worked out of danger and went on to record the save with a check-swing strikeout to end the game.
 
Ashlyn Finarty pitched the first 5.1 innings for the Griffons and was responsible for four runs. She struck out four. Harley Pruetting pitched the final 1.2 and took the loss, allowing two runs (both unearned).
 
Game 2: Missouri Western 3, Fort Hays State 1
Missouri Western held its lead throughout the second game of the afternoon. The Griffons scored twice on a home run in the third inning. FHSU cut the lead to 2-1 with a run in the fifth, but the Griffons got the run back in the bottom half of the inning and went on to win 3-1.
 
Ayva McComas hit the two-run homer for the Griffons and had their only two RBIs in the game. Missouri Western pitcher Torie Sandoval threw a complete game and allowed just three hits, while striking out five.
 
Lilly Mohr provided the run scoring for FHSU, hitting her second home run of the day, another solo shot. Hannah Green and Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson were the only other Tigers who recorded hits. Pitcher Solana Carpenter pitched a complete game as well, allowing three runs with one strikeout.
 
The Tigers go on the road for non-conference action at Southern Nazarene on Tuesday (Mar. 17) before returning to conference play next weekend against Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State.