FHSU Athletics
JOPLIN, Mo. - The Fort Hays State softball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader against Missouri Southern Thursday afternoon on the road, losing 2-1 in the opener before falling 10-0 in game two. The Tigers dip to 23-17 on the year and 8-12 in conference play, while the Lions are now 32-16 overall and 12-8 in MIAA action.
Game 1: Missouri Southern 2, Fort Hays State 1
FHSU's Morgan Schmidt and MSSU's Kiki Pickens were locked in a pitcher's duel in the opener, with the pair combining to allow just two earned runs on eight hits while striking out a combined nine hitters.
The Tigers had their first real chance to score in the third when Pickens started the inning by issuing a pair of walks to last two hitters in FHSU's lineup. Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson followed with a single, loading the bases with no outs. Jules Bosco kept things rolling with an RBI single, but the Lions were able to get out of the inning without further damage thanks to a strikeout and a lineout double play.
After giving up a leadoff single in the bottom of the first, Schmidt retired 13 straight batters to keep the Lions at bay. MSSU did not have another base runner until the fifth inning before finally breaking through with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. A two-out walk extended the inning before MSSU tied the score with an RBI triple. Schmidt then got a pop up that could have ended the inning but was misplayed, giving the Lions a 2-1 lead.
Pickens retired 14 in a row after the third inning before Lexi Mohr gave the Tigers a chance with a two-out single in the top of the seventh. Paige Thexton followed with another single before the Lions escaped with the win on a routine groundout to short.
Schmidt (11-7) allowed one earned run on three hits and one walk while striking out six batters over her six-inning complete game.
Game 2: Missouri Southern 10, Fort Hays State 0 (5 innings)
The Tigers managed runners in four of the five innings but were unable to push any runs across, while the Lions put up three crooked numbers with two runs in the first, four in the second and four more in the fourth.
Savanah Egger (10-10) suffered the loss after allowing 10 runs on 12 hits and three walks in 4.0 innings of work, striking out three Lions. Abbey Duarte collected two of FHSU's three hits in the game, with Paige Thexton adding the final Tiger base knock.
UP NEXT
The Tigers will make the short drive from Joplin to Pittsburg, Kan. to take on 24th-ranked Pittsburg State in another conference doubleheader on Friday (April 18) beginning at noon.