Washburn (24-15, 1-9 MIAA) at
Fort Hays State (17-18, 3-7 MIAA)
Friday, April 3 – 2 p.m. (DH)
Hays, Kan. – Fleharty Family Field
 
Emporia State (19-12, 5-5 MIAA) at
Fort Hays State
Saturday, April 4 – 1 p.m. (DH)
Hays, Kan. – Fleharty Family Field
 
Fort Hays State Softball begins its 14 conference-game stretch to close out the regular season this weekend when it plays host to Washburn and Emporia State in a pair of doubleheaders. The Tigers take on the Ichabods at 2 p.m. on Friday (Apr. 3) and then the Hornets at 1 p.m. on Saturday (Apr. 4).
 
Fort Hays State enters the weekend 17-18 overall and 3-7 in the MIAA. The Ichabods enter their weekend at 24-15 overall and 1-9 in the MIAA, while the Hornets enter the weekend at 19-12 overall and 5-5 in the MIAA.
 
Fort Hays State jumped back into the win column with a doubleheader sweep of Northwestern Oklahoma State back on Tuesday. The Tigers won both games by run rule in five innings, 8-0 in game one and 10-2 in game two. The Tigers are looking to snap a five-game losing string in conference play.
 
After a strong start to the 2026 season in non-conference play, Washburn has struggled in MIAA play so far. The Ichabods are 23-6 outside of MIAA play this season, but just 1-9 in conference action. The Ichabods have lost seven-straight MIAA games, but all seven were to nationally ranked teams at the time (Rogers State, Central Oklahoma, Missouri Southern, and Pittsburg State). Washburn plays at Nebraska-Kearney on Thursday before heading to Hays for the doubleheader on Friday.
 
Emporia State goes into the week level in conference play, although they dropped their last four MIAA games (swept by Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern). The Hornets will also play at Nebraska-Kearney (Fri.) before heading to Hays for a doubleheader on Saturday.
 
Fort Hays State is looking to snap a six-game losing string to Washburn, which started back in 2023. The Tigers' last win over the Ichabods was in 2023 in Topeka in the first game of a conference doubleheader. The Ichabods swept doubleheaders from the Tigers in 2024 and 2025. FHSU seeks its first win over the Ichabods in Hays since 2016. Washburn leads the all-time series 40-24.
 
The Tigers have split their last four contests with Emporia State, going back to 2024. The Hornets went 1-2 against the Tigers last year, splitting a doubleheader in Emporia before the Hornets defeated the Tigers in the MIAA Tournament opening round last year in Hays. The Hornets have a 39-23 lead in the all-time series.
 
Recently named to the NFCA Player/Pitcher of the Year Watchlist, Hannah Green leads the Tigers offensively in batting average (.433), runs (35), hits (55), and on-base percentage (.463). Peyton Shepard has put together a great season so far as well right behind her in the lineup, hitting .395 with 26 runs scored, a team-best 28 stolen bases, and a .444 on-base percentage. The duo at the top of the Tiger lineup own the longest hit streaks on the team this year, Green's longest being 14 games and Shepard's longest being 11 games.
 
Shepard is starting to close in on the career stolen base record at FHSU, now with 67. She is five shy of the record of 72 set by Bianca Adame over the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Adame has the two highest stolen base totals for a season at FHSU with 40 and 32, but Shepard's 28 this season is now third-best on the list at FHSU.
 
Lilly Mohr, Audrey Gillespie, and Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson are all having solid seasons in the middle of the Tiger order. Mohr is tied for the MIAA lead in home runs with 11, while hitting .333 for the season with 24 RBIs. Gillespie has driven in 26 runs with a .316 average and leads the team in doubles with 11 (tied for 7^th best in the MIAA). Ramirez-Johnson is hitting .302 for the season and has matched Shepard in RBIs this season, both with 18. Abbey Duarte is the team leader in RBIs with 32, while putting together a solid .292 batting average with five sacrifice flies (2^nd best in the MIAA).
 
In the circle, Solana Carpenter and Korryn Johnson have been the starters for most doubleheaders this season. Carpenter leads the team in ERA (3.90), wins (7), appearances (23), starts (18), complete games (8), innings pitched (97), and strikeouts (62). Johnson is coming off her first career shutout in FHSU's 8-0 win over Northwestern Oklahoma State earlier this week.