Tigers fall in series finale at Northwest Missouri State, 4-3

Fort Hays State University fell in the series finale at Northwest Missouri State by a score of 4-3 on Sunday. FHSU tied the game with a pair of runs in the top of the ninth, but NWMSU won the game in walk-off fashion in the bottom half of the inning on a bases loaded walk. NWMSU took three of four games in the series.

Errors plagued the Tigers throughout the game as three of Northwest Missouri’s four runs were unearned. FHSU committed four errors in the game.

NWMSU scored in the first to take a 1-0 lead as the leadoff man, who reached by error, came in to score on a RBI bunt single. From that point, FHSU starter Justin Hersch settled in to hold the Bearcats at bay through the sixth inning.

FHSU tied up the game in the third on a Kevin Czarnecki RBI double, also benefitting from an error that led to the run.

Hersch would pitch a total of 6.1 innings, surrendering one more run in the seventh. Kyle Vogt relieved him right before a sacrifice fly, which was charged to Hersch’s run total. But once again the run was unearned due to a run earlier in the inning. NWMSU went up 2-1 after seven innings.

The Bearcats added one more in the eighth courtesy of another error to lead off the inning. A double brought the runner in and the unearned run was charged to Giles Fox, who allowed a hit with a strikeout in 0.2 innings of work. Austin Unrein entered to pick up the final out of the inning with a strikeout.

FHSU put its first two batters aboard in the ninth before Cooper Langley knocked them in with a two-RBI triple. Langley attempted to score on a ground ball off the bat of Casey Sedbrook, but he was cut down at the plate by the second baseman.

Unrein ran into trouble on the mound in the ninth as he hit the leadoff batter and then allowed a bunt single. He got the next batter to pop out on a bunt and then induced a flyout to centerfield for the second out, while the runners remained at first and second. However, he allowed back-to-back walks to end the game, forcing in the winning run (the only earned run of the game for NWMSU).

Carson Smith picked up the win in relief for NWMSU, going 2.1 innings. He allowed two runs on three hits with three strikeouts. NWMSU starter Nikko Pablo went 6.2 innings and allowed six hits and a walk, while striking out eight.

FHSU left 14 runners on base in the game, leaving two or more on base in five of the nine innings.

The Tigers moved to 4-17 overall and 4-12 in the MIAA. Northwest Missouri State moved to 12-12 overall and 9-7 in the MIAA.