WICHITA- The Jets hosted Fort Hays State for a three game series starting today. The Tigers are currently ranked No. 23 in the ABCA coaches poll and unranked in the NCBWA poll. In game one, the Jets came out on top with a 15-9 win.
How it Happened:
- The Tigers got out to a hot start with a five run first inning. With three hits, including a three-run home run, pushed the Tigers out to a 5-0 lead. The Jets cut into the deficit in the bottom half of the inning.
Anthony Cannavino led off with a single to center field. Cannavino's single was followed by an
Eli Wohl single. A walk drawn by
Micah Kobuszewski loaded the bases. With the bases loaded,
Blake Mitchell grounded out to third but recorded the RBI for the Jets first run. This RBI by Mitchell made it a 5-1 contest. In the top of the second, the Jets defense and
Aleks Koppel faced three batters and retired them all. Koppel struck out one in the inning. In the bottom half of the inning,
Jack Kiser led off with a walk. A double by Cannavino scored Kiser to make it 5-2. Koppel struck out another Tiger in the top of the third, helping the Jets hold the Tigers at five runs. In the bottom of the third,
Blake Mitchell hit a two run home run, batting in Kobuszewski who walked earlier in the inning. This closed the gap to one run at 5-4. The Jets defense and Koppel continued to hold the Tigers at five runs.
- In the bottom of the fourth,
Hunter Brown hit a solo home run that tied the score at five all. Koppel reached six total strikeouts after striking out two in the top of the fifth inning. In the bottom of the sixth, the Jets had runners on second and third but the offense was denied the go ahead run. In the top of the seventh, the Tigers connected with a two-run home run to retake the lead at 7-5. With two outs, the Tigers added two more with their second two-run home run of the inning. This gave FHSU the 9-5 lead. Koppel would end his day with eight total strikeouts through 6.2 innings pitched.
Fran Montanez would replace Koppel with two outs in the seventh. Montanez struck out his first and only batter faced in the seventh. In the bottom half of the inning, Kobuszewski doubled. Later, a double by
Trent Trammell would score Kobuszewski with a double of his own to make it 9-6.
Pierson Gunnell connected with a two-run home run to cut the deficit to just one, 9-8. Cannavino led off the Jets in the eighth with a single. Wohl followed this up with a single. A wild pitch allowed Cannavino and Wohl to advance to second and third. Kobuszewski earned another walk to load the bases. Mitchell then singled to shallow left field that scored two runs to take the lead at 10-9. Later, Gunnell reached on a fielder's choice while Kobuszewski beat the throw to home to extend the Jets lead to 11-9.
Nicolas Ely added his first hit of the day, driving in the Jets 12th run. Brown followed this up with a three-run home run to push the Jets out to a 15-9 lead. This was Brown's second home-run on the day. The Jets defense closed out the game in the top of the ninth with two strikeouts from Montanez and a line out to end the game. The Jets took the win, 15-9.
Player Notes:
- Brown hit two home runs on five at bats with four RBIs.
- Mitchell added five RBIs with a home run.
- Gunnell added three RBIs with a home run.
- Montanez gets the win on the mound with four strikeouts in 2.1 innings pitched.
