FHSU Sports Information Department
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Fort Hays State softball dropped a pair of games to No. 22 ranked Missouri Western on Saturday (Apr. 2). The Griffons took game one 7-5 on a walk-off home run, and then took game two 12-3 in a six-inning run-rule victory. Suffering the two losses, the Tigers drop to 13-22 overall and 7-11 in the MIAA. Missouri Western improved to 28-10 overall and 13-3 in the conference.
Game 1: Missouri Western 7, Fort Hays State 5
Fort Hays State held the lead twice, but could not hold on as Missouri Western rallied late with a run in the sixth and three in the seventh.
The Griffons got out to an early lead in game one as the Tigers committed two errors on the same play in the first inning allowing a run. Missouri Western returned the favor in the second, as the Tigers tied the game on a Griffon error.
The Tigers jumped to the lead for the first time scoring two runs in the third. Rilee Krier singled to lead off, swiped second, then ended up on third after a ground out. With one out, Tori Beltz walked to put runners on the corners. Samantha Villarreal plated Krier with a groundout RBI, giving the Tigers the 2-1 lead. Three batters later, Beltz came across to score making it 3-1, thanks once again to a Griffon error.
The Griffons fought back in the fourth, tying the game with a pair of runs. With one out and a runner on first, Taylor Hamilton cut the Tiger lead to one with an RBI single, then tied the game when she scored on a double by Kailey Green.
The even score did not last long as the Tigers jumped out front again with a two-run fifth. Beltz doubled and then Villarreal put the Tigers up 5-3 with a two-run home run.
In the sixth, the Griffons cut the Tiger lead to 5-4 with a bases loaded walk. But the Tigers escaped any further damage to keep their lead. But they could not hold off the Griffons in the seventh. A leadoff triple by Morgan Rathmann set the table for the big inning. She tied the game, scoring on a ball hit in play by the next batter. Two batters later with one out, a walk-off two-run home run by Hamilton ended the game.
Paxton Duran took the loss in the circle for the Tigers, dropping to 8-13 this season. Duran went 6.1 innings, giving up seven runs on nine hits, while striking out five, and walking just two.
Janie Smith recorded the win for the Griffons, going all seven innings, giving up five runs (three earned) on four hits, with seven strikeouts and no walks.
Game 2: Missouri Western 12, Fort Hays State 3
The Griffons started game two the way they finished game one by putting up a three-spot in the first. With two outs, the Griffons rallied with four consecutive hits plating two runs. Toss in an error that scored another run and FHSU was looking at an early 3-0 deficit.
The Tigers chipped away at the lead as they were able to get a run in both the second and third. Courtney Dobson led off the second with a triple, then came in to score on a Mackenzie Villarreal ground out cutting the Griffon lead to 3-1. In the third, the Tigers made it a one-run game thanks to the speed of Krier. After leading off with a single, Krier swiped second and third and then came in to score on a Claudia Vazquez groundout.
The Griffon bats exploded in the fifth as Hamilton, Green, and Katie Klosterman hit back-to-back-to-back home runs for the second time this week (the first occurrence came against Northwest Missouri State on Tuesday, Mar. 29). The sudden break out of homers resulted in a six-run inning that extended Missouri Western’s lead to 9-2.
The Tigers managed to get one more run on a Dobson sacrifice fly that scored Vazquez in the sixth, but the Griffons put up a three-spot in the bottom half of the inning to claim the 12-3 run-rule victory.
Carrie Clarke suffered the loss for the Tigers, lasting 4.0 innings. She gave up eight runs (seven earned), on 10 hits, with a strikeout, and no walks. Duran entered in relief and gave up four runs, on three hits and a walk in 1.1 innings of work.
The Tigers look to bounce back on Sunday (Mar. 3) as they head to Maryville, Mo., for another MIAA doubleheader against Northwest Missouri State. First pitch is set for 12 pm.
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