HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State baseball team opened its series against Arkansas-Fort Smith with a 15-5 run-rule victory Friday (March 6) at Larks Park. The Tigers (5-13, 2-6 MIAA) hit four home runs on the day while Cody Bruss (2-3) tossed his second complete game of the season.
 
The Lions (1-15, 0-7 MIAA) struck first with one run in the top of the second, but FHSU answered right away when Tytin Goebel led off with his first home run as a Tiger. Derek Woolwine put FHSU on top for good with a sacrifice fly before Tony Moore came in to score on a throwing error.
 
The visitors made it 3-2 with an unearned run in the third before the Tigers pushed across three more in the home half. Cooper Howell led off with his third home run of the season before Antonio Avila pulled a two-run home run to left, giving FHSU a 6-2 lead.
 
Bruss got out of a jam in the fourth inning, allowing only one run after the Lions advanced two runners into scoring position with no outs. After a single and a double, UAFS scored on a sacrifice fly, but the senior lefty struck out the next batter before inducing an inning-ending groundout to limit the damage
 
Two walks allowed Goebel to drive in another run in the bottom of the fourth, plating Howell with an RBI single to center. The Tigers then led 10-3 after a trio of fifth-inning runs. Woolwine led off with a no-doubter that cleared the scoreboard  in right field by 50 feet before Howell drove in a pair with a ground-rule double to straightaway center.
 
UAFS pushed across two more runs in the top of the sixth, but the Tigers responded with two runs of their own in the home half on RBI doubles from Woolwine and Dylan Salcido.
 
After Bruss putting together the first and only 1-2-3 inning of the game in the top of the seventh, Justin Lipka walked it off with a two-RBI single to center.
 
The Bennet, Neb. native allowed four earned runs on nine hits while striking out four batters over 7.0 innings of work. Howell and Woolwine both finished a triple shy of the cycle, with Goebel also totaling three base hits. Woolwine drove in four RBI, while Goebel, Avila and Moore all scored three runs each.
 
The Tigers and Lions will continue their series on Saturday (March 7) beginning at 2 p.m. before wrapping up the weekend at 1 p.m. Sunday (March 8).