FHSU Athletics
WICHITA, Kan. - The 23rd-ranked Fort Hays State baseball team secured a series win at Newman with a doubleheader sweep Friday at McCarthy Field, winning 8-0 in the opener before taking the nightcap 12-6. The Tigers improved to 29-11 overall and 23-6 MIAA play after taking the series two games to one, while the Jets are now 10-30 on the year and 6-24 in league action.
The Tigers are now tied with Central Missouri atop the MIAA standings with seven games to play in the regular season. FHSU can finish no lower than fourth in the final standings, which would tie its best ever finish since joining the MIAA in 2007 (Fourth in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011).
Game 1: #23 Fort Hays State 8, Newman 0
Paul Panduro hurled his best game of the season, tossing eight-plus scoreless innings and allowing only two hits. He retired eight in a row in the middle innings and faced the minimum in his final four frames. The senior's sole blemish was six walks, but the righty was able to work out of trouble each time.
Freshman Tony Moore gave the Tigers the early 1-0 lead with a home run in the first plate appearance of the ballgame. Moore then hit his third home run of the series two innings later, making it 2-0 with a leadoff long ball in the top of the third.
After six straight Tigers were retired leading into the fifth inning, Moore again sparked the offense with a walk. Isaiah Ural followed with a single before Trey DeGarmo worked another free base, loading the bases for Jose Cintron who delivered a two-RBI single into left field, doubling the lead to 4-0. Brady Kreutzer kept things rolling with another two-RBI base knock, this time to right field to give the Tigers a 6-0 advantage.
Three more base hits in the seventh inning helped FHSU tack on two more runs. Cintron beat out a bunt single before Kreutzer doubled, putting a pair in scoring position. One run came in to score on an RBI groundout before Cesar Saavedra plated FHSU's eighth run with a single to center.
Panduro (3-3) attempted to finish the complete game shutout before walking a pair in the bottom of the ninth. FHSU then went to Landyn Sterling out of the bullpen, who promptly retired the side in order to complete the win.
Game 2: #23 Fort Hays State 12, Newman 6
Newman grabbed its first lead of the day in the bottom of the second inning with a solo home run, but FHSU quickly responded when Sebastian Burgos doubled to start the third inning. Tony Moore followed with a single before Trey DeGarmo tied the game with an RBI single to center.
The Jets then manufactured another run in the bottom of the third before the Tigers punched back with a four-run fourth inning. Elliott Herrmann got the inning going with a single through the left side before Cooper Howell singled to right. The pair advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch before Herrmann later scored on another wild pitch. Isaiah Ural later plated a run on an RBI groundout before DeGarmo drove in a pair with a two-RBI triple into the gap in left center.
The home team was able to tie the game with a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth before regaining a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the sixth. Fort Hays State answered back in a big way in the seventh, scoring six runs on five hits and two walks. Herrmann and Howell again opened the rally with back-to-back singles before Derek Woodwine worked a walk to load the bases.
Burgos helped the Tigers go back on top 7-6 with a two-RBI single to right before two more runs came around on sacrifice flies from Moore and Ural. Zane Knox then made it 11-6 with a two-RBI double to right.
Fort Hays State added an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Moore led off with a triple into the gap in left center and later scored on a ground out from DeGarmo.
That was more than enough for Kaleb Carpenter, who came on in relief to throw the final six innings of work. The junior retired the final 10 batters he faced, moving to 4-2 on the year after picking up the win. Carpenter struck out a season-high eight batters while allowing two runs on three hits and one walk.
Trevor Baugh made the start, tossing three-plus innings while giving up four runs on five hits and one walk alongside three strikeouts.
UP NEXT
The Tigers close out their home schedule with four games next week . Tuesday they close out their midweek series against Emporia State beginning at 4 p.m. They will then host Northwest Missouri State in a three-game set over the weekend including the annual Pack the Park event on Friday, April 25 beginning at 7 p.m.