Tigers close out 2015 season with series sweep of Lincoln

Fort Hays State closed out the 2015 season on Monday with a doubleheader sweep at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo. The Tigers won 11-2 and 9-1, sweeping all four games of the series to finish ninth in the MIAA standings.

Game 1: Fort Hays State 11, Lincoln 2

Fort Hays State trailed 1-0 through two innings, but a Kevin Czarnecki three-run home run in the third inning pushed the Tigers in front and they led the rest of the way in an 11-2 win.

Connor Ross added a two-run homer in the fourth to push Fort Hays State’s lead to 5-2 at the time. The Tigers did the rest of their scoring in the fifth with six runs. Three straight runs were forced in as Nick Hammeke drew a bases-loaded walk, then Ross and Caleb Cherryholmes were hit by pitches with the bases loaded. Austin Unrein cleared the bases with a three-RBI double.

Joe Mapes picked up a win in his start for the Tigers, throwing 5.0 innings. He allowed just one earned run on six hits with one strikeout. Tyler Patty threw the final two innings, striking out two. Mapes moved to 2-1 on the year.

Jordan Barrett (1-6) took the loss for Lincoln, allowing five runs in 4.0 innings of work. Two Lincoln relievers combined to give up the final six runs to FHSU.

Game 2: Fort Hays State 9, Lincoln 1

Fort Hays State scored six runs over the first three innings and never looked back, completing the four-game sweep of Lincoln with a 9-1 win to wrap up the 2015 season. The Tigers led 8-0 after five innings before Lincoln put its only run on the board in the seventh.

Andre Vieyra drove in two runs with a two-run home run in the fifth to push the Tiger lead to eight runs. Austin Unrein also had a solo homer. Connor Ross and Kevin Czarnecki recorded an RBI doubles, while Alex King and Gus Strunk each had RBI singles. Strunk was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, while Vieyra and Czarnecki each went 3-for-4.

Justin Hersch had another great outing on the mound for FHSU, keeping Lincoln scoreless through his six innings of work. He allowed just three hits and a walk with five strikeouts. Ty Thomas pitched an inning of relief and allowed a run, but it was unearned due to a Tiger error. He struck out three. Alex Cox pitched the final two innings and struck out four. Hersch moved to 3-3 on the year with the win.

Tyler Roberts (1-7) took the loss for Lincoln. He allowed eight runs (seven earned) over 5.0 innings. Adam Stegeman pitched the final four innings for Lincoln and gave up just one run.

Fort Hays State finished its season at 19-28 overall and 16-20 in the MIAA. The Tigers won their last five conference games of the season and their last four overall.

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