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Tiger at home in new look ball park
3/14/2008
By RANDY GONZALES
Hays Daily News
Larks Park has a new look.
Tiger coach Rick Sabath hopes his baseball club has a new look, too.
The Fort Hays State University baseball team will play its Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association opener this weekend in Hays.
Fort Hays (3-9) and Missouri Western (3-8) will play a 6 p.m. single game today, a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday and a noon single game Sunday at Larks Park.
The Tigers' home field received a face lift since the team's last home game, on Feb. 16. Most noticeably, the outfield fence is new and has fresh paint.
"The field is looking really good," Sabath said. "I think everybody is pleased with it.
"When you walk in, it's a completely new fence, new look to the ball park. The ball park looks completely different," Sabath added.
Sabath hopes his team will look different at home after a so-so start, albeit against tough competition that the Tiger coach hopes will be a benefit now that Fort Hays enters play in the rugged MIAA.
"Obviously, we're struggling," Sabath said of his squad, which has lost six of its last seven. "We can't put all three phases of the game together."
Missouri Western, which also has lost six of its last seven, will be a good conference opener for the Tigers, Sabath said.
"They're going to be a tough opponent, like all the MIAA opponents will be," Sabath said.
Junior left-hander Eric Gilliland (0-2, 0.98 ERA), who allowed one earned run on four hits in a complete-game 5-0 loss to Emporia State University in his last start, is the probable starter in tonight's series opener.
Sophomore left-hander Matt Augustine (1-2, 3.91) and junior left-hander Kevin Large (1-1, 10.80) are scheduled to pitch on Saturday, while Sabath is unsure of his starter for Sunday.
Redshirt freshman outfielder Chase Schippers leads the Tigers in hitting at .348, leads the team in homers with five, and is tied for the club lead in RBIs with 12. Junior first baseman Dusty Washburn is batting .333 with four homers and 12 RBIs.
Sabath can only hope his hitters dent that new fence a time or two this weekend, as the Tigers search for a winning combination.
"We're a new team, not happy where we are," Sabath said. "We're looking for something to click."
Sports editor Randy Gonzales can be reached at (785) 628-1081, Ext. 137, or by e-mail at
rgonzales@dailynews.net.
| 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 |
