HAYS, Kan. — With the offense coming to life, the Newman softball team gave a challenge to Fort Hays State on the road Monday evening, but was unable to seal up a win, falling in a doubleheader to the Tigers.

The Jets (5-11) jumped out to a big lead over the first few innings of the opening game but saw the Tigers (5-6) creep back in and steal a 9-8 win in eight innings. While Newman took a one-run lead early in Game 2, the hosts got their offense clicking to earn an 8-2 win in the nightcap.

Taylor Mannis picked up a single to start off the doubleheader and came around to score when Courtney Sartin's grounder was mishandled to take a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the opener. After the Tigers scored twice to take the lead in the bottom of the third, the Jets rattled off seven runs over the next two frames to jump out to a big lead.

After two quick outs to start the fourth inning, Jensen Cromer got things going with a single, followed by walks from Rachael Withers and Bayley Horsch to load the bases. Alyssa Taylor's double to center scored all three to shoot the guests back in front with a 4-2 advantage.

Two early errors around a single from Sartin started the fifth, with Kendra Mendoza's sacrifice bunt scoring Missy Swanson. Withers singled up the middle to push Sartin across, and Horsch smacked a double to right center to score two more and stretch the lead to 8-2. The Tigers would answer with five runs in the bottom of the sixth though, and tied things in the seventh before walking off with the win in the bottom of the eighth.

Alyssa Taylor doubled to left to start the second inning of the finale, and was bumped up to third on Ellise McGowan's single before scoring when McGowan forced an errant throw from the catcher trying to steal second. FHSU scored twice to take the lead in the third, but the Jets answered in the next half inning, as Taylor again led off with a hit, singling through the right side, and eventually scored on Cromer's sac fly to left.

The Tigers went back ahead with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning, and scored four in the sixth to pad the lead and secure a second win.

Taylor put up a pair of hits in each game, including two doubles, to finish the day 4-for-7 with two runs and three RBIs, while Mannis also put up four hits over the two contests. Delaney Hiegert was 3-for-4 in the nightcap, while Sartin and Withers each provided a pair of base knocks.

The Jets don't have long to rest, as they continue their season opening road trip with a doubleheader at Texas A&M Commerce Thursday before opening Heartland Conference play this weekend at St. Edward's.