FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State picked up a big win on Friday by knocking off No. 6 ranked Central Oklahoma in game two of a doubleheader to get a split in MIAA play. The Bronchos took game one 7-0, but FHSU bounced back with a 2-1 win in eight innings in the second contest on the wings of a complete-game effort from Morgan Schmidt. FHSU moved to 23-21 overall, 7-13 in the MIAA, while UCO moved to 38-8 overall, 18-2 in the MIAA.
For Fort Hays State, it snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Bronchos going back to the 2019, when FHSU also defeated UCO in an eight-inning game in Hays by a score of 7-6. UCO was a top-10 ranked team also that year, holding the No. 2 rank in the nation when they last lost in Hays. It was FHSU's first win over a nationally ranked opponent this season.
Game 1: Central Oklahoma 7, Fort Hays State 0
Central Oklahoma put together a big two-out rally in the first inning of the first contest. Three straight singles helped produce a 3-0 start to the game for the Bronchos. UCO pitcher Terin Ritz made that hold up as she went on to throw a complete-game two-hit shutout with five strikeouts to move to 19-3 on the season. The Bronchos picked up an unearned run in the fifth and three more runs in the seventh to produce their seven runs in the game.
Alondra Dominguez and Regan Curry had the only two hits for FHSU, both singles. Savanah Egger threw a complete game for the Tigers, finishing with six strikeouts. She moved to 12-10 on the season.
Game 2: Fort Hays State 2, Central Oklahoma 1 (8 inn.)
Game two was a pitcher's duel between Morgan Schmidt and Shelby Beard, who matched each other with zeros on the board through five innings.
The game took some wild twists and turns in the sixth when Terin Ritz launched what looked to be a two-run homer over the left center field wall. But she was called out of the batter's box as she stepped into the area between the box and home plate when making contact. The home run was wiped off the board as Ritz had to come back to bat and she struck out instead. However, teammate Jacee Minter followed with an RBI double to the left-center gap to break the scoreless tie.
The Tigers fought right back in the bottom of the sixth when Carly Stuke led off the inning with a single. UCO coach Cody White opted to put Ritz back into the pitching circle and Peyton Shepard greeted her with a sacrifice bunt that Ritz threw wide of her first baseman for an error. The Tigers loaded the bases and then Loren Beggs tied up the game with a sacrifice fly RBI to score Stuke. FHSU did not get anything else out of the inning, leaving a wild sixth inning tied at 1-1.
Morgan Schmidt only allowed one hit over the next two innings, keeping the Bronchos scoreless and the Tigers pounced on their opportunity in the bottom of the eighth. Shepard guided a one-out single to right field and then moved up to third on a fielding error by UCO. Ritz then walked Beggs to load the bases and create a force at any base. Sarah Tiffany then delivered a deep fly to left field over the head of the fielder for a game-winning walk-off single.
Schmidt finished the game with eight strikeouts in her complete-game effort, holding the Bronchos to just four hits. She worked around three walks in the game and moved to 7-10 on the season. Ritz took the loss for UCO in 2 1/3 innings of relief, striking out three. UCO starter Beard went 5.0 innings and struck out four with five hits allowed.
The rally starter and rally completer in the eighth, Shepard and Tiffany, led the Tigers with two hits each in the game.
UP NEXT
Fort Hays State will host Newman University on Saturday (April 20) in the final home doubleheader of the season. It will be Senior Day on Saturday as Emma Montoya, Sarah Tiffany, and Loren Beggs will be honored between games one and two. The doubleheader is set to begin at 12 p.m. at Fleharty Family Field.