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Future MIAA member UNO sweeps Tigers in pair of one-run games
4/24/2008
By RANDY GONZALES
rgonzales@dailynews.net
In a preview of coming attractions, Wednesday's doubleheader turned out to be a horror show for the Fort Hays State University baseball team.
The Tigers almost made it an action-adventure pic, but a pair of one-run losses likely had Fort Hays coach Rick Sabath waking up in a cold sweat Wednesday night, thinking of all the what-ifs for his club.
No. 23 University of Nebraska-Omaha swept a pair of nonconference games at Larks Park, edging the Tigers 5-4 in the opener and 3-2 in the nightcap. Next year, UNO will be joining the already powerful Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The Mavericks had an 18-game winning streak snapped the day before against Washburn University in Topeka.
If but for a key hit here or there, the Tigers could have extended the Mavericks' skid to three games.
"We did not perform to our capabilities," Sabath said. "You've got to give credit to Nebraska-Omaha."
The Tigers trailed 5-2 heading into their last at-bat in the opener, but rallied for two runs and had the bases loaded with two outs for freshman pinch-hitter Kyle Stacken.UNO senior reliever Blake Denoyer went to a 3-2 count before retiring Stacken on a grounder to second to end the game.
Fort Hays wasted a good effort from sophomore right-hander Pat Huddleston, who was making his first start. Huddleston (0-1) allowed two runs on four hits in five innings, with three walks and two strikeouts.
UNO added two runs in the sixth off junior reliever Garrett Huck in the sixth and another run off junior Brian Thompson in the seventh.
Fort Hays got a run in the second on freshman Chase Schippers' RBI double and sophomore Tyler Robbins led off the sixth with a home run off UNO junior starter Matt DeGagne.
DeGagne (3-1) was pulled in the seventh, with Denoyer surviving the Tigers' rally to pick up his first save.
Junior Mat Eikmeier collected three hits, with an RBI and a run scored, for UNO, and senior Chris Weimer hit an RBI triple.
Schippers and junior Dusty Washburn each had two hits for the Tigers.
In Game 2, the Tigers' rally that came up just short was in the sixth inning.
After junior Evan Porter homered in the UNO sixth to give the Mavericks a 3-1 lead, Fort Hays got to junior reliever Chris Kessinger in the home half of the inning.
Washburn led off with a single and freshman Ryan Majercik walked. After Robbins struck out, sophomore Greg Bieker walked to load the bases. Junior Garrett Brown hit a fly ball to left too shallow to score Washburn for the second out of the inning.
Junior A.J. Levanduski walked on a 3-2 pitch to force in Washburn from third to make it a one-run game, but Kessinger retired sophomore Justin Groff on a foul fly ball in the left-field corner to end the threat.
"We just left too many guys on base," Sabath said. "We had our chances, bases loaded in each game, didn't get a hit."
Sophomore Brandon Dahl pitched a 1-2-3 seventh to earn his third save. Sophomore left-hander Wes Simmons (1-0) worked the first five innings for the victory.
Sophomore starter Donnie Moore (2-2) took the loss for Fort Hays (21-24), giving up three runs on seven hits in five innings.
"Overall, our pitching staff -- against a high-quality opponent -- they did a great job," Sabath said.
Weimer tripled and scored on Porter's single in the first inning for Nebraska-Omaha (32-10), and freshman Travis Jacobi homered in the fifth.
Bieker doubled with one out and scored on Levanduski's two-out single in the Tiger second.
Sabath was unhappy with his club for taking two close losses at home.
"Get swept in your home ball park, two one-run games, something that should never happen," Sabath said. "Give credit to (UNO)."
| Scoreboard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Date | Opponent | Score |
| BB | 5/04 | Pittsburg State | W 17-5 |
| BB | 5/04 | Pittsburg State | L 4-3 |
| BB | 5/03 | Pittsburg State | L 15-7 |
| BB | 5/03 | Pittsburg State | L 5-4 |
| SB | 5/02 | Central Missouri | L 3-1 |
| SB | 5/02 | Missouri Western | W 3-2 |
| SB | 5/01 | Pittsburg State | W 6-0 |
| SB | 5/01 | Emporia State | L 11-0 |
| BB | 4/30 | Kansas Wesleyan | W 14-1 |
| BB | 4/30 | Kansas Wesleyan | W 12-2 |
