FHSU Athletics
TOPEKA, Kan. - The Fort Hays State baseball team fell to Washburn on another late Ichabod rally Saturday, with the Ichabods scoring three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to win, 7-4 at Falley Field. The Tigers are now 21-19 on the year and 9-17 in MIAA play, while Washburn moves to 22-16 overall and 16-10 in league action.
Fort Hays State jumped in front right away for a second night in a row, with the Tigers scoring two runs in the top of the first. Cesar Saavedra and Isiah Ural led off with back-to-back singles before Zane Knox later drove in the first run of the game with a single up the middle. Jose Cintron doubled the lead with an RBI double into the right-field corner, putting the Tigers up 2-0.
Tiger starter Cade Flaherty retired the side in order in each the first and second innings before surrendering back-to-back walks to start the third inning. The Ichabods doubled in a pair of runners two batters later prompting FHSU to go to the bullpen in Dylan Rinker who retired the first seven batters he faced.
Fort Hays State pushed across two more runs in the top of the fifth when a pitch hit Sebastian Burgos to lead things off. Ural followed with a double to center before Elliott Herrmann drove in a pair with a single. The Tigers would load but bases but fail to score any more runs and lead 4-2.
The Ichabods closed within one with a home run in the sixth inning before tying the score with a manufactured run in the home half of the seventh inning. The Tigers had chances to add to the lead on offense, but FHSU stranded a man at second in the sixth inning, left the bases loaded in the seventh and left another man at second in the eighth.
Washburn took its first lead in the bottom of the eighth when the home team scored three runs on two singles and two walks. The Ichabods completed the win by retiring the side in order in the ninth.
Flaherty allowed two runs on one hit and two walks while striking out one batter in 2 1/3 innings of work but left the game with an apparent injury to his throwing arm. Rinker worked 5 innings of relief, striking out five while allowing four runs on four hits and one walk. Andrew Hansen got the final two outs, striking out one batter and allowing one run on one hit and one walk.
Fort Hays State had twice as many hits as the Ichabods, 12-6, but the Tigers left 10 men on base while Washburn left just three. Herrmann had three hits for a second game in a row, with Ural also going 3-for-5. Knox also had a multi-hit day, going 2-for-5 with one RBI. Brady Kreutzer extended his hitting streak to a team-best 12 games, going 1-for-2 while drawing the only two walks of the game for the Tigers.
UP NEXT
The Tigers and Ichabods will wrap up their series Sunday afternoon (April 14) beginning at 1 p.m. at Falley Field.