FHSU Sports Information Department
BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Fort Hays State earned a split of its two games on Friday at the 8-State Classic in Arkansas. The Tigers fell victim to a big inning in a 10-0 loss to Henderson State but bounced back for a 5-1 win over Southern Nazarene. The Tigers moved to 2-5 overall on the season.
Henderson State 10, Fort Hays State 0
Fort Hays State and Henderson State played to a scoreless tie until the top of the fourth. In that frame, Henderson State erupted for eight runs, helped by a pair of 3-run home runs, and held FHSU at bay the rest of the way in a 10-0 decision by run-rule after five innings. HSU tacked on its last two runs in the fifth on a pair of solo home runs.
The Tigers scratched out three hits against HSU starter Michelle Sorenson, all singles. Those hits came from Bailey Kennedy, Bailey Boxberger, and Claudia Vazquez. Sorenson threw a complete game with four strikeouts and two walks, improving to 2-4 on the season.
Carrie Clarke took her first loss of the season in the pitching circle, allowing 10 runs (six earned) on 11 hits with three walks. She struck out one batter and is now 0-1 on the season.
Fort Hays State 5, Southern Nazarene 1
The Tiger bats produced eight hits and Hailey Chapman threw a complete game in a 5-1 win over Southern Nazarene. Chapman allowed just two hits with four walks while striking out five. She moved to 2-3 on the season.
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a Candace Bollig RBI triple. Veronica Knittig added another run to the lead in the third with an RBI single. In the fourth, FHSU extended its lead to 5-0 three runs on five hits. Jeni Mohr drove home a run with a single, then Bailey Kennedy drove home two more with another single.
Southern Nazarene used a walk, a sacrifice bunt, and an RBI single to generate its only run in the fifth. After that, Chapman navigated her way through the Crimson Storm retiring the opposition in order in the sixth and seventh for the win.
Brooke Tate took the loss for SNU, throwing 5.0 innings. She surrendered all five runs (four earned) and eight hits.
The Tigers return to action on Saturday when they face Southwest Baptist at 11 am and Southern Arkansas at 1 pm.